Central and state government agencies across India announced important new policies and made changes to some existing policies during the month of November. Here are some highlights.

National

The Government of India said it will provide up to ₹1.05 billion (~$16.2 million) in grant funding to Smart Cities for the purchase of electric vehicles to be used for mass transportation under a pilot project run under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid and) Electric Vehicles in India (FAME) program.

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) released draft regulations for granting of Inter-State Transmission Connectivity to solar and wind projects.

The State of Nagaland and the union territories of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, and Daman & Diu became the newest participants in the Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY) program.

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)

MNRE began implementing a quality control order that requires manufacturers to register with the Bureau of Indian Standards for the use of a “Standard Mark” to comply with the Indian quality standard. The order, titled “Solar Photovoltaics/Systems/Devices/Components Goods (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2017” is scheduled to become effective on January 1, 2018.

MNRE amended the guidelines for the state specific bundling program under which 3,000 MW of grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) projects are to be developed.

MNRE discontinued the empanelment of channel partners under the grid-connected rooftop and small solar projects program. MNRE said that starting November 23, 2017, empanelment will no longer be required in order to participate in development tenders for rooftop and small solar projects.

States

The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (SAUBHAGYA) program to electrify all willing households in the country in rural as well as urban areas using solar power was launched in Manipur on November 28, 2017.

The Uttar Pradesh Renewable Energy Commission (UPERC) adopted a renegotiated tariff of ₹7.02 (~$0.11)/kWh as the new benchmark tariff for solar projects tendered in financial year 2015-16.

NITI Aayog released a proposal to develop electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in Delhi drafted by AC2SG, a Finland-based Smart Grid Software solutions provider, in collaboration with NITI Aayog.

The Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) is preparing draft regulations for the forecasting, scheduling, and deviation settlement of solar and wind generation in the state.

CERC has ordered the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) to grant connectivity to Inox Wind’s special purpose vehicles (SPVs) in Gujarat.

The Karnataka State Government annulled a Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) order that required it to sign wind power purchase agreements (PPAs) in the state.

Image credit: Flickr