Jodhpur Vidyut Vitran Nigam floated eight tenders for installing and commissioning 562 grid-connected solar power projects with a total capacity of 1.515 GW in various subdivisions of Jodhpur District Circle under Component C of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan program for feeder-level solarization.The projects will be developed under the renewable energy service company model.The selected developers must oversee the projects’ operation and maintenance for 25 years. The estimated project cost is ₹35 million (~$420,371)/MW.

The Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission issued a preliminary draft of the Green Energy Open Access, Charges, and Banking Regulations in 2023. The regulation applies to granting open access for electricity generated from renewable energy sources for utilization within the state involving Intra-State Transmission Systems (lnSTS) and/or distribution systems of licensed entities. It also encompasses those InSTS and/or distribution systems that are incidental to the Interstate Transmission of electricity.

Kerala achieved an 18% growth in rooftop solar capacity between the second quarter of 2022 and Q2 of 2023, with approximately ~276 MW of rooftop solar capacity installed during the period, the Mercom India Rooftop Solar Market Report Q2 2023 revealed. About half the capacity during the period was added under the Kerala State Electricity Board’s Soura program, which encourages the adoption of residential rooftop solar systems. One of the unique challenges Kerala faced in its pursuit of solar energy was its geographical landscape. A large share of the land in the state is fertile and for ideal agricultural activities, so leasing it for utility-scale projects is challenging and expensive. To address this challenge, the state has decided to go with rooftop systems to meet its solar energy targets.

NTPC has invited bids to set up 1,500 MW of interstate transmission system-connected solar power projects across India. The minimum capacity of each project must be 50 MW, and the maximum capacity to be quoted by a bidder should not exceed 750 MW. The last date to submit the bids online is October 27, 2023. Bids will be opened on the same day.

The Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikas Nigam invited bids to select renewable power generators to set up 670 MW grid-connected solar power projects under Component C of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan program.The last date for the submission of bids is October 10, 2023. Bids will open on November 3.The scope of work includes designing, engineering, supplying, constructing, erecting, testing, commissioning, and construction of bays and related switchgear at the substation.It also involves comprehensive operation and maintenance services for the power purchase agreement period of 25 years.

The Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission has revised the additional surcharge for open access consumers to ₹0.87 (~$0.0105)/kWh for the period from October 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024. The revised additional surcharge is an increase of 14.47% from ₹0.76 (~$0.0091)/kWh set for the first half of the financial year 2023-24, from April 1, 2023, to September 30, 2023. The Commission arrived at the levy through the revised methodology for calculating the additional surcharge, issued in an order back in 2022.

Bolt.Earth, an India-based electric vehicle infrastructure and software company, secured $20 million in a recent funding round led by a consortium of existing and new investors, including Union Square Ventures, Prime Venture Partners, and ITIGO Funds. The company offers an operating system, a connected platform technology that helps manufacturers develop, operate, and monitor their charging networks and vehicles. The primary allocation of the funding will be directed towards the expansion of Bolt. Earth’s charging network.

Wind-Solar hybrid projects are considered one of the most viable options to manage intermittency issues faced by standalone wind and solar power sources. These projects are especially crucial because they optimize land and transmission systems while providing a power supply for a longer duration. Mercom India will host a webinar titled “Addressing the Challenges and Solutions in Hybrid Renewable Energy Project Insurance” on October 10, 2023, at 3:00 pm IST. The webinar will shed light on the key challenges associated with the insurance of such projects and offer insights into effective risk mitigation strategies.

Battery manufacturer LG Energy Solution will invest KRW4 trillion (~$3 billion) in its Michigan facility to establish new production lines for battery cells and modules exclusively for Toyota, with completion slated for 2025.Under the contract, LG Energy Solution will supply 20 GWh of automotive battery modules consisting of high-nickel nickel, cobalt, manganese, and aluminum pouch-type cells annually to Toyota’s motor manufacturing facility in Kentucky to be assembled into battery packs.

The Asia Pacific region is forecast to invest $3.3 trillion in power generation over the next decade, with a strong focus on renewables. Wind and solar energy would account for 49% of the investment, while energy storage would receive 12% of the total investments, as per Wood Mackenzie’s latest analysis. In the coming five years, the region is set to add 1,840 GW of new capacity, outpacing the rest of the world combined, as India and China invest in a mix of coal and renewables to address escalating power needs. India, the second-largest power market after China in the region, wields a pivotal role in the global energy transition, driven by its substantial economic growth and soaring power demand.