NTPC Limited invited bids for the appointment of consultants for the third verification of verified carbon standard (VCS) registered solar and wind power projects for the period from October 1, 2020, to December 31, 2021.

The last date to submit bids is March 2, 2022. Bids will be opened on the following day. The last date to receive queries from prospective bidders is February 25.

Bidders do not need to furnish any earnest money deposit for this tender.

The VCS program is a global voluntary greenhouse gas (GHG) program, including over 1,775 certified VCS projects reducing over 865 million tons of carbon and other GHG emissions. VCS projects cover various sectors, including renewable energy and forestry. Once projects have been certified under the VCS Program, tradable GHG credits called Verified Carbon Units (VCUs) are issued to the project developers. The VCUs sold in the open market can be purchased by corporates to offset their emissions. This channels financing to clean energy projects and technologies.

To participate in the competitive bidding process, bidders must have experience providing consultancy services to verify renewable energy projects under the VCS or Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) program. In the last seven years, the bidders should have completed verification of at least one or more renewable energy projects under the VCS, CDM, or Global Carbon Council (GCC) program.

Bidders’ average annual turnover must not be less than ₹833,000 (~$11,023) in the last three financial years as of the date of opening of techno-commercial bids. Consultants’ net worth should not be less than 100% of their paid-up share capital in the last financial year.

The successful bidder needs to cover all assistance to NTPC during the verification of 610 MW of solar and wind projects listed below:

The consultant must conduct the verification as per related rules, requirements, regulations, modalities, criteria, guidelines, and principles issued from time to time. After verification, the consultant should report by specifying the verified number of VERs for the verification period and submit that to the VCS Board for issuing of verification certificate.

The consultant should review monitoring results and verify that the methodologies for the estimation of GHG emissions reduction were applied correctly and their documentation is complete and transparent.

The draft verification report should be developed, including all initial audit findings, to give time for possible adjustments. The consultant should disclose and communicate to the engineer in charge about any outstanding issues that may impact the final verification.

Thereafter, the consultant should develop a final verification report and submit it to the VCS Board. The consultant must also assist NTPC during verification site visits and resolve queries raised by the verifier and VCS Board.

In November 2021, NTPC Limited invited bids to appoint consultants for registration, validation, and verification exercise for the first five years of the 200 MW capacity of the 250 MW Anantpur solar power project under the GCC program.

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Harsh Shukla is a staff reporter at Mercom India. Previously with Indian Express, he has covered general interest stories. He holds a Masters Degree in Journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune.

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