As India prepares to build out its solar module manufacturing capacity, Gujarat has emerged as an overwhelmingly favorite destination for domestic manufacturers, accounting for more than half of the country’s module-making capacity and roughly 30% of cell manufacturing capacity. The state has benefited from friendly industrial policies in the form of expedited and simpler compliance procedures. Additionally, the electricity tariff in the state is competitive and attracts manufacturing companies. The details emerged in Mercom’s State of Solar Manufacturing in India report, released last month. It is a 58-page document and covers all facets of India’s solar manufacturing.

NTPC Renewable Energy, a wholly owned subsidiary of NTPC, has invited bids for the engineering, procurement, and construction package with land development for 500 MW of inter-state transmission system-connected solar projects anywhere in India. The scope of work also includes the operation and maintenance of complete solar projects, including switchyard and power evacuation system until the interconnecting grid substation, along with consumables and spare parts for three years from the date of commissioning.

Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam has invited bids for purchasing power from 500 MW of grid-connected solar power projects (Phase XIX) to be set up anywhere in India with a greenshoe option of an additional 500 MW. The last date to submit the bids online is March 13, 2023. Bids will be opened on March 16. Bidders will have to deposit ₹300,000 (~$3,637) plus 18% GST as a processing fee. Also, bidders must furnish ₹400,000 (~$4,849)/MW as an earnest money deposit.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is implementing 90 projects under its Waste to Energy program, Union Minister of Power R.K Singh informed the Lok Sabha. These projects include seven biogas generation projects with a cumulative production capacity of about 83,400 cubic meters per day, 34 BioCNG projects with a cumulative production capacity of about 248,000 kg/day, and 49 power projects with a cumulative production capacity of about 330 MW. Earlier this month, the government, in its budget, announced 500 new ‘waste-to-wealth’ projects under GOBARdhan (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan) program, which will be established to promote a circular economy.

In probably a first for an urban local body, the Indore Municipal Corporation is floating a green bond on February 10, 2023, to raise ₹2.45 billion (~$29.5 million ) for a 60 MW ground-mounted captive solar photovoltaic project in Khargone district in Madhya Pradesh. The issue will close on February 14. The tenor of the green municipal bonds will be for 3, 5, 7, and 9 years with a coupon rate of 8.25%. The bonds will have a base issue size of ₹1.22 billion (~$14.77 million) with a green shoe option of a similar amount.

The government aims to install a total of 46,397 public charging stations (PCS) for electric vehicles in nine major cities by the end of the decade. The information was provided by R.K. Singh, Union Minister of Power and New and Renewable Energy, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has prepared an action plan for the installations. The country currently has only about 5,254 PCS under operation. BEE has been selected as the central nodal agency to undertake various initiatives.

UJVNL, a government of Uttarakhand enterprise, has invited bids to set up 9.5 MW of grid-connected solar projects near the Kulhal powerhouse in the Dehradun district. The projects will be connected to the 33/11 kV substation at the Kulhal powerhouse under the Solar Energy Policy of Uttarakhand-2013 for the sale of power to UJVNL. The last date to submit the bids online is February 24, 2023. Bids will be opened on February 27.

The Assam Power Distribution Company Limited has invited bids from solar power developers to set up 10 MW grid-connected solar photovoltaic power projects under Phase II of the Central Public Sector Undertaking program. The last date for submission of bids is  February 20, 2023. Bids will be opened the following day. The scope of the work includes the design, construction, and supply of solar power-generating systems and the operation and maintenance of the project for 25 years.