With 38 GW of solar installed, India is one of the leading solar markets in the world. According to Mercom’s forecast, 2021 and 2022 could be the two best years for solar installations in the country to date.

A new virtual conference – “Mercom India Solar Summit 2021,” hosted by Mercom, will address the ground realities and market outlook amid the rapidly changing solar space and the energy transition taking place in India.

The virtual event will be held on April 08 and April 09, 2021

The solar summit will bring together industry leaders and experts to share insights and views regarding the country’s solar sector’s future course. The event will provide a platform for all stakeholders to share their views and exchange ideas at all levels paving the way for productive discourse.

The event will take off with a discussion on the solar manufacturing sector. With the government leading the way with the production-linked incentive program’s announcement, the manufacturing sector is set for a major overhaul. The discussion will deal with the strategies and steps manufacturers will take to be part of the solar success story.

Another important topic that will come up for discussion during the event is the lack of consistency in policy implementation, which is the biggest challenge the sector is facing today.

The ailing health of distribution companies (DISCOMs) has been a thorn on the solar sector’s side. Unsigned power sale agreements, renegotiation of the power purchase agreements, and misinterpretation of clauses are just some of the bottlenecks that will come up for discussion on Day 1.

On the same day, there will also be a session focusing on solar project development and the path ahead for developing solar projects in the country. Some of the common issues plaguing the solar sector are land, transmission availability, government approvals, and disputes. The panelists, including developers and government regulators, will discuss these issues and share ideas to resolve them.

The second day of the summit will start with solar project acquisitions and how they will take off in India. The focus of the discussion will be on ways to make solar projects attractive for acquisition. The session will also see foreign investors sharing their views.

Another topic that will come up for discussion on the second day is the challenges before the rooftop solar segment in India. The growth of the rooftop segment has been slower than in countries like Australia and Vietnam. The panelists will also address the challenges the segment faces in dealing with DISCOMs.

The highlight on Day 2 will be the Mercom India Solar Awards, recognizing the year’s most outstanding solar projects.

The second day will also feature a session on the solar supply chain with panelists shedding light on procurement, logistics, raw materials availability, freight charges, and other timely issues.

The summit will also have sessions on project financing and tenders and auctions. Project financing has become very important in the current scenario. The panelists will discuss the incentives that can make India a lucrative market for solar investments and barriers that can adversely affect the industry.

Recently, Mercom hosted a webinar on “Module Technologies and Trends Dominating the Indian Solar Market.” The panelists discussed the workings of the solar module manufacturing industry and spoke about developments and technologies that can improve the efficiency of the module manufacturing segment.

You can register for the conference here.