The Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), a state-owned oil and natural gas company, has floated a tender for setting up a 2 MW (AC) solar project under Phase- II of its Green Research and Development Centre in Bengaluru.

The scope of work includes designing, engineering, procuring, transporting, supplying, fabricating, constructing, inspecting, testing, and commissioning of the project. Selected bidders must also initiate a performance guarantee test run, and they are also expected to provide operation and maintenance services for 10 years.

The project must be completed within five months from the date of issue of the letter of acceptance (LOA) or the purchase order, whichever is earlier. Interested bidders are expected to pay an earnest deposit of ₹1.52 million (~$21,224). The last date for the submission of bids is March 2, 2020.

To be eligible to take part in the competitive bidding process, bidders must have successfully completed one similar project with a capacity of 1.6 MW or more in the last seven years, including synchronization of the project.

Applicants must also have had a minimum average annual turnover of ₹24 million (~$335,125) in the last three financial years and a positive net worth in the last one. They must also have a minimum working capital of ₹8 million (~$111,708) in the immediately preceding financial year’s audited financial results.

Many oil majors in the country are undertaking initiatives to include renewable energy into their power mix.

For instance, in December 2019, Oil India Limited (OIL), a Navaratna enterprise, issued a tender inviting bids for engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contracts for a hybrid project consisting of 41 MW (±5%) wind energy project and 14 MW solar project in Gujarat.

Then in June 2019, Oil India Limited floated a tender to develop 100 MW of solar project capacity anywhere in India.