Despite growing demand from energy-intensive industrial sectors, solar open access projects are not seeing much traction in Telangana due to a lack of policy clarity. Open-access developers claim that consumers can save up to ₹5 (~$0.06)/kWh under the captive model, whereas under the third-party open-access model, the savings could be approximately ₹1 (~$0.01)/kWh. At a recent Mercom India C&I Clean Energy Meet session titled ‘Clean Power Purchase – Switching to Renewable Energy And Optimizing Savings’ in Hyderabad, project developers discussed the reasons for lower adoption, the viability of different types of open access models, and the feasibility of adding battery energy storage with solar.

The Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL) set aside the penalties imposed by the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) on BSES Yamuna Power and BSES Rajdhani Power for failing to meet their renewable purchase obligations (RPOs) during the financial years 2012–13, 2013–14, and 2014–15. The Tribunal held that while the appellants were liable to be penalized for non-compliance, the penalties imposed were wholly disproportionate. Instead of the daily penalties running into crores, APTEL fixed a token penalty of ₹5,000 (~$57) for each of the three financial years in question.

Commercial and industrial (C&I) consumers are increasingly evaluating rooftop solar and open access power purchase agreements as cost-effective solutions for reducing electricity expenses and meeting sustainability goals. However, one of the key challenges for individuals and businesses is access to affordable financing. At Mercom India’s C&I Clean Energy Meet in Hyderabad, representatives from banks and non-banking financial companies presented detailed insights into green financing products available in the market. The panelists were B. Swaroopa, Assistant General Manager at the Small Industries Development Bank of India, K. Prabhudasu, Chief Manager at Bank of Maharashtra, and Piyush Bang, Chief Manager at Credit Fair.

Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation (UPPCL) invited bids to supply energy from 375 MW/1,500 MWh standalone battery energy storage systems (BESS). The minimum bid size will be 250 MWh, i.e., 62.50 MW × four hours. The BESS must be designed for up to four hours of discharge. UPPCL may schedule this in one or two sessions daily, excluding the charging window from 11:00 to 17:00. The charging power for the BESS project must originate from renewable energy sources.

The Solar Energy Corporation of India issued a request for selection to install 13,043 kW of grid-connected rooftop solar projects on government buildings in Puducherry (Tranche-V). The systems will be installed under the renewable energy service company mode. Bids must be submitted by October 21, 2025. Bids will be opened on October 24. The scope of work entails the design, engineering, erection, testing, and commissioning of the solar projects. It also involves providing operation and maintenance services for the entire term of the power purchase agreement.

Mahatma Phule Renewable Energy and Infrastructure Technology invited bids to empanel consultants to prepare pre-feasibility and detailed project reports and financial models for rooftop and ground-mounted solar projects. The consultants will be empanelled for two years. Bids must be submitted by September 16, 2025. Bids will be opened on September 17. Consultants hired by MAHAPREIT to prepare the pre-feasibility report, DPR, or financial model for a specific solar project cannot later participate as a bidder or developer for that project. The scope of work covers the site survey and assessment of rooftop structural suitability, load-bearing capacity, and shading analysis. Bidders must prepare simulation reports, pre-feasibility reports, and DPRs for MAHAPREIT’s solar projects.

Haryana Power Purchase Centre (HPPC), a joint forum created by the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam and Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam, has invited bids to procure 500 MW of solar power from projects located within the state. HPPC will enter into a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the selected bidders for 25 years from the commercial operation date. Projects that are under construction, not yet commissioned, or already commissioned but have untied capacity without a PPA, are eligible. Projects should be commissioned within 18 months from the date of execution of the PPA.

NTPC Green Energy commissioned 100 MW of renewable energy capacity of IRCON Renewable Power’s (IRPL) 500 MW project at the Pavagada Solar Park in Karnataka. IRPL’s parent company, Ircon International, had won the 500 MW capacity at the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency’s 2021 auction to set up 5 GW grid-connected solar projects. IRPL is a joint venture in which Ayana Renewable Power, a wholly owned subsidiary of ONGC NTPC Green, owns a 24% stake. ONGPL had acquired a 100% stake in Ayana in February of this year, at a cost of ₹195 billion (~$2.3 billion). This was ONGPL’s first investment since its establishment in November 2024.

Kolkata-based solar module manufacturer Vikram Solar secured an order from AB Energia Solutions for the supply of 200 MW of solar modules, valued at approximately ₹2.73 billion (~$32.63 million). The agreement will see the modules deployed across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat. According to the company, the modules covered under this agreement are Vikram Solar’s M10R N-Type TOPCon modules rated at 590 W and above. Deliveries under this contract are scheduled to begin in September 2025 and will continue through March 2026.

INA Solar operationalized its 4.5 GW solar module manufacturing plant at the Sawarda village in Rajasthan’s Jaipur district. With the commissioning of this plant, INA Solar has expanded its manufacturing capacity to 5.5 GW. The facility, spread over 600,000 sq ft, manufactures INA Solar’s M10R TOPCon models. The company stated that the facility utilizes artificial intelligence and robotics to automate the solar manufacturing line. Apart from the 4.5 GW facility, INA Solar has two other operational solar plants in Rajasthan. INA Solar plans to enter the solar wafer manufacturing space to enable backward integration. It also announced plans to develop a 635 W to 650 W capacity manufacturing line of its G12R TOPCon module.

The Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources announced that it will issue 2 GW of renewable energy tenders under the country’s flagship Yenilenebilir Enerji Kaynak Alanları program in November 2025. The program is designed to accelerate renewable energy deployment through large-scale resource zones with pre-approved grid connections. According to the official tender documents published in the country’s Official Gazette, applications for the 850 MW solar tender will open on November 4, 2025, while the 1.15 GW wind tender will follow on November 18, 2025.

China set a target to install over 180 GW of energy storage capacity by 2027, up from 95 GW as of June this year. The capacity addition will involve an investment of approximately RMB250 billion (~$35 billion). The country’s National Development and Reform Commission has released the “Special Action Plan for Large-Scale Construction of New Energy Storage (2025–2027),” which will help China’s clean energy transition, enhance grid flexibility, and accelerate the commercialization of new energy storage technologies. According to the document, lithium-ion batteries will remain dominant, while alternative technologies such as compressed air, flow batteries, sodium-ion, and flywheels will progress toward commercialization.

The Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC), a government-owned entity under Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Energy, released tender documents for the seventh round of the country’s National Renewable Energy Program (NREP). The latest round has invited bids for 3.1 GW of solar and 2.2 GW of wind energy projects. These projects are part of NREP, which aims to achieve an optimal energy mix and supply 50% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. SPPC is responsible for preparing feasibility studies, tendering electricity generation projects, and signing power purchase agreements (PPA) with developers.