The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy released a framework document outlining incentive programs for the manufacturing of electrolyzers and the production of green hydrogen within the country, with a combined financial outlay of ₹174.9 billion (~$2.1 billion). The framework document outlines two components of the incentive programs. Component I focuses on providing electrolyzer manufacturing incentives, with a financial outlay of ₹44.4 billion (~$541.2 million), and Component II aims to support Green Hydrogen production, with a substantial outlay of ₹130.5 billion (~$1.6 billion).

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation invited bids to select a project management consultant for installing 100 MW of solar projects at Galiveedu Solar Park in Andhra Pradesh for captive consumption. The last date to submit the bids is July 18, 2023. Bids will be opened on the same day. Bidders must submit ₹1.98 million (~$24,076) as an earnest money deposit.

The Ministry of Power, in consultation with the Central Electricity Authority, released a set of guidelines to establish an institutional mechanism for resource adequacy, spanning from the national level down to the distribution companies. The guidelines are put in place to ensure the availability of resources at each level to meet the demand. Additionally, the framework will help proactively assess the requirements for new generation capacities, energy storage, and other flexible resources well in advance.

Union Minister of Coal, Mines & Parliamentary Affairs, Pralhad Joshi, unveiled India’s first-ever report on “Critical Minerals for India,” identifying a list of 30 critical minerals, comprising Lithium, Cobalt, Nickel, Graphite, Cadmium, Silicon, Indium, Tellurium among others imperative for the development of renewables such as electric vehicles and solar. The list was identified considering resource and reserve position, production, import dependency, future technology, clean energy use, and agricultural requirements.

The World Bank‘s Board of Executive Directors approved a loan of $200 million to the Government of Himachal Pradesh to help the Indian state achieve its target of adding 10 GW of additional renewable energy capacity and introducing new reforms in its power sector. The loan provided under the World Bank’s Himachal Pradesh Power Sector Development Program will help the state government increase the share of renewables in its energy generation. The above investment will provide a template for India’s power market for underwriting new investments in renewable energy, World Bank said in a statement.

The landscape of domestic solar manufacturing is undergoing rapid transformation as new facilities emerge throughout the nation. This expansion cannot progress without a proficient workforce capable of operating and maintaining cutting-edge solar cell and module production machinery and technologies. The government has implemented various incentives and policies to encourage investment in the solar manufacturing segment. While this has undoubtedly boosted the sector, it has also revealed the lack of skilled labor.

The Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission issued the draft Terms and Conditions for Green Energy Open Access Regulations 2023 to include rules for banking and other open access charges applicable for clean energy open access consumers. The regulations will be applicable for power generated through the open access model from green energy sources, including the energy from non-fossil fuel-based municipal solid waste-to-energy projects.

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission has dismissed solar developers’ petition seeking exemption from paying transmission charges to Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCIL) for the portion of the project not completed before the mandated commissioning date. The solar developer also petitioned to overturn PGCIL’s demand for a letter of credit as a payment security mechanism.