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					</table><p><a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/indias-rooftop-solar-installations-1-7-gw-2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India installed 1.7 GW of rooftop solar capacity in 2023, the second-highest annual installation numbers on record, according to Mercom India Research</strong></a>’s newly unveiled 2023 Q4 &amp; Annual Mercom India Rooftop Solar Market Report. However, the capacity addition rose only by 3.7% as many commercial and industrial consumers held off on new projects while waiting for solar module prices to stabilize. Lower module prices forecasted in early 2024 are expected to help companies reduce project costs.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/india-launches-second-strategic-mineral-blocks" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The </strong><strong>Ministry of Mines</strong><strong> has issued the second tranche of the auction for the grant of concessions for 18 critical and strategic mineral blocks across seven states</strong></a>, with 17 designated for the grant of composite license and one for the mining lease. The Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines, Pralhad Joshi , highlighted the diverse array of minerals up for auction in the second tranche, including Tungsten, Vanadium, Graphite, Rare Earth elements, Glauconite, Phosphorite, Nickel, Platinum group of minerals, Cobalt, and Potash.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/adani-discom-floats-tender-wind-power" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Adani Electricity Mumbai</strong><strong> has floated a tender to select project developers for the supply of 600 MW of power from grid-connected wind power projects in India</strong></a>. The selected developers are required to establish wind power projects on a build own operate basis. Land, connectivity, and long-term access will be in the scope of the project developer. The last date for the submission of the bid is April 2, 2024. Bids will be opened on April 5.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/chandigarh-tenders-50-mw-rooftop-solar-projects" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science &amp; Technology Promotion Society has invited bids to set up 50 MW grid-connected rooftop solar power projects</strong></a> on various houses in the Union Territory under the renewable energy service company model. The projects must be installed on a build-operate-transfer basis and within five months of receiving the work order. The last date to submit the bids is March 13, 2024. Bids will be opened the following day.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/merc-approves-tariffs-for-tata-powers-225-mw-wind-solar-hybrid-projects" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission has approved Tata Power Company – Distribution’s adoption of tariffs of ₹3.27 (~$0.0394)/kWh</strong></a> and ₹3.28 (~$0.0395)/kWh discovered through competitive bidding for the procurement of 225 MW of wind-solar hybrid power along with 150 MW additional capacity under the ‘greenshoe’ option to meet its renewable purchase obligations.</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/polysilicon-imports-into-china-drop-vietnam" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Polysilicon imports into China dropped 28.5% in 2023 to 62,965 metric tons, the lowest level since 2011, according to Germany-based polysilicon market</a></strong> research firm Bernreuter. Polysilicon is a key material for making solar cells and semiconductors. The report also says that major foreign suppliers are shifting shipments from China to Vietnam after U.S. regulations aimed at preventing imports of goods linked to forced labor in Xinjiang came into force.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/breakthrough-in-silicon-solar-cell-efficiency" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Physicists at the </strong><strong>University of Paderborn</strong><strong> in Germany, through complex virtual simulations, have discovered that adding a thin layer of an organic semiconductor</strong></a> called tetracene to a silicon solar cell can achieve significantly higher efficiency. Tetracene absorbs short-wave high-energy radiation, a part of which is wasted away as heat, and converts it into lower-energy forms that can be efficiently used by the silicon in the solar cell.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/shoals-q4-revenue-driven-by-higher-sales" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Shoals Technologies Group</strong><strong>, a manufacturer of electrical balance of systems for solar, energy storage, and eMobility reported a net income of $16.6 million</strong></a> during the fourth quarter of 2023, contrasting with the $118.3 million reported in the corresponding period in 2022. The company stated that the previous year’s timeframe experienced a positive impact, deriving a gain of $110.9 million from concluding the tax receivable agreement.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/uttar-pradesh-invites-bids-mau-district" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency has invited bids for a 5 MW grid-connected solar photovoltaic power project in Mau</strong></a> district on a build-own-operate and maintain basis. The last date for online bid submission is March 21, 2024. The bids will be opened the next day. The scope of work includes complete design, engineering, procurement, construction, installation, testing, commissioning, evacuation of power to the grid substation, and operation and management of the project.</p>
<div class="saboxplugin-wrap" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" itemscope itemprop="author"><div class="saboxplugin-tab"><div class="saboxplugin-gravatar"></div><div class="saboxplugin-authorname"><a href="https://cms.mercomindia.com/author/mercom-staff/" class="vcard author" rel="author"><span class="fn">Mercom Staff</span></a></div><div class="saboxplugin-desc"><div itemprop="description"></div></div><div class="clearfix"></div></div></div>

Daily News Wrap-Up: India’s Rooftop Solar Installations Reach 1.7 GW in 2023


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					</table><p>The <a href="https://mines.gov.in/webportal/home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ministry of Mines</a> has issued the second tranche of the auction for the grant of concessions for 18 critical and strategic mineral blocks across eight states, with 17 designated for the grant of composite license and one for the mining lease.</p>
<p>The Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, <a href="https://coal.nic.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coal</a> and <a href="https://mines.gov.in/webportal/home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mines</a>, Pralhad Joshi, during the announcement, highlighted the diverse array of minerals up for auction in the second tranche, including Tungsten, Vanadium, Graphite, Rare Earth elements, Glauconite, Phosphorite, Nickel, Platinum group of minerals, Cobalt, and Potash.</p>
<p>Notably, the launch of Potash mining in India is a significant milestone achieved through this auction.</p>
<p>The mineral blocks are spread across states such as Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu.</p>
<p>The critical minerals from the list essential for clean energy include Tungsten, Vanadium, Graphite, Copper, Gold, Nickel, Cobalt, Manganese, Iron, Platinum-group elements (PGE), and Chromium.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-63941 size-full" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Picture1.png" alt="" width="802" height="522" srcset="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Picture1.png 802w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Picture1-300x195.png 300w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Picture1-768x500.png 768w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Picture1-650x423.png 650w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Picture1-624x406.png 624w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Picture1-600x391.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 802px) 100vw, 802px" /></p>
<p>The auction process has begun, with the sale of tender documents starting on the same day as the launch. The last date for purchasing the tender document is April 18, 2024. Bidders have to submit ₹300,000 (~$3,620) as cost of the document fee.</p>
<p>The last date for the submission of bids is April 23, 2024.</p>
<p>Interested parties can access detailed information about the mine locations, auction terms, and timelines on the MSTC auction platform.</p>
<p>The auction will be conducted online through a transparent two-stage ascending forward auction process. Eligible bidders will be selected based on the highest percentage of the value of mineral dispatch quoted by them.</p>
<p>During the launch event, the Ministry also distributed letters of financial grants to start-ups in the mining and mineral sector.</p>
<p>Additionally, the annual capacity-building plan for the Geological Survey of India (<a href="https://www.gsi.gov.in/webcenter/portal/OCBIS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GSI</a>) was released, and the government emphasized its commitment to fostering growth and innovation in the sector.</p>
<p><strong>First Tranche</strong></p>
<p>In his address, the Minister expressed satisfaction with the response from the mining industry during the first tranche, where twenty blocks were <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/ministry-of-mines-issues-critical-minerals-blocks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">auctioned</a>.</p>
<p>The strong interest demonstrated in the auction process was reaffirmed by the Ministry of Mines, which received over 50 bids for the first tranche of the auction of critical and strategic minerals.</p>
<p>The first tranche was earlier launched on November 29, 2023, which saw the auction of 20 critical and strategic mineral blocks, including minerals like glauconite, nickel, platinum group elements (PGE), potash, graphite, molybdenum, phosphorite, lithium, and rare earth elements (REE).</p>
<p>These blocks were distributed across states such as Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.</p>
<p>The technical bid evaluation for the first tranche took place on February 27, 2024, with more than 180 tender documents purchased by interested bidders. The bidders represented a diverse range of sectors, including mining companies, EV manufacturers, cement producers, and energy sector entities.</p>
<p>The bidding companies included Vedanta, Coal India, NLC  India, Shree Cement, Orient Cements, Ola Electric, Dalmia Group, Rungta Group, Jindal Power, etc.</p>
<p>The Ministry of Mines recently <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/cap-payments-critical-mineral-auctions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proposed</a> changes to the Mineral (Auction) Rules, 2015, to cap the amount of performance security and upfront payments payable after winning the rights to extract minerals. The move addresses concerns regarding financial barriers that might impede bidder participation in auctions of critical minerals.</p>
<p>In September last year, the government <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/government-cost-for-critical-mineral-exploration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> a 25% incentive on the approved project cost for exploration agencies to enhance the exploration of critical minerals.</p>
<div class="saboxplugin-wrap" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" itemscope itemprop="author"><div class="saboxplugin-tab"><div class="saboxplugin-gravatar"></div><div class="saboxplugin-authorname"><a href="https://cms.mercomindia.com/author/gautamee-hazarika/" class="vcard author" rel="author"><span class="fn">Gautamee Hazarika</span></a></div><div class="saboxplugin-desc"><div itemprop="description"><div class="designboxt">
<p><img class="alignleft" style="border-radius: 50%;height: 50px;margin-top: -4px;border: 1px solid #00b451" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Picture1.jpg" width="50" /></p>
<p><strong style="text-decoration: underline">Gautamee,</strong> Staff reporter at Mercom India<br />
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<a href="gautamee@mercomindia.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gautamee@mercomindia.com</a></p>
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<div class="authorboxn"><img class="alignleft" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Picture1.jpg" width="102" height="102" /><a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/gautamee-hazarika/" rel="noopener">Gautamee</a> is a reporter at Mercom India. Prior to Mercom, Gautamee was working as a multimedia news journalist at ThePrint in New Delhi. She has received her Bachelors in English Honors and Masters in English Literature from St.Stephen&#8217;s College, University of Delhi.<a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/gautamee-hazarika/" rel="noopener">More articles from Gautamee</a></div>
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India Launches Second Tranche of Auction for Critical and Strategic Mineral Blocks

<p>South Africa-based <a href="https://www.implats.co.za/downloads/2006/annual_report/review06/marula.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Marula Platinum Mine</a> has issued a request for information (RfI) for setting up a 10 MW solar project to power its operations.</p>
<p>Marula sought information on how to design, finance, supply, construct, commission, operate, and maintain a 10 MW solar project at its platinum mine in Limpopo, South Africa. It also requires assessments, advice to the mine’s management, and information regarding the development, land requirements, and securing environmental and technical permits for the project.</p>
<p>The deadline for the RfI is October 20, 2020. It noted that parties need not quote prices, sign agreements, or submit a proposal for this process.</p>
<p>The company, owned by South African Holding Company <a href="https://www.implats.co.za/downloads/2006/annual_report/review06/marula.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Implats</a>, explained the move citing issues with the quality of electricity supplied by its state utility <a href="https://www.eskom.co.za/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Eskom</a> which have adversely affected its production.</p>
<p>Additionally, Marula said that recent regulatory changes by the country’s Department of Minerals Resource and Energy allowing mining companies to use alternative sources of power, including self-generation options, to meet their production and expansion needs.</p>
<p>Earlier, Mercom <a href="https://mercomindia.com/south-africa-sasol-invites-bids-solar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">reported</a> that Sasol, a South Africa-based integrated chemicals and energy company, has issued a request for proposal to develop two solar projects of 10 MW at its Secunda and Sasolburg facilities. It said it would sign a long-term power purchase agreement with the successful bidder to supply electricity to its facilities. The company said it is committed to securing 600 MW of renewable energy capacity eventually, and this tender was the first step in that direction.</p>
<p>Previously, <a href="https://arcelormittalsa.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ArcelorMittal South Africa</a>, a steel producer, issued a request for information to recruit independent power producers to set up solar power projects at six locations in South Africa. The company plans to enter into power purchase agreements with IPPs to build, own, and operate solar projects at Vanderbijlpark, Newcastle, Vereeniging, Pretoria, Thabazimbi, and Saldanha. These projects will be used to supply low-cost power for its operations across these sites.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Image credit: U.S. Department of the Interior / CC BY-<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">SA</a></p>
<div class="saboxplugin-wrap" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" itemscope itemprop="author"><div class="saboxplugin-tab"><div class="saboxplugin-gravatar"></div><div class="saboxplugin-authorname"><a href="https://cms.mercomindia.com/author/nithin-thomas-prasad/" class="vcard author" rel="author"><span class="fn">Nithin Thomas</span></a></div><div class="saboxplugin-desc"><div itemprop="description"><div class="designboxt">
<p><img class="alignleft" style="border-radius: 50%;height: 50px;margin-top: -4px;border: 1px solid #00b451" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Nithin-2-1.jpg" width="50" /></p>
<p><strong style="text-decoration: underline">Nithin Thomas,</strong> Staff reporter at Mercom India<br />
<a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/author/nithin-thomas-prasad/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More articles from Nithin Thomas.</a></p>
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<div class="authorboxn"><img class="alignleft" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Nithin-2-1.jpg" width="102" height="102" /><a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/author/nithin-thomas-prasad/" rel="noopener">Nithin Thomas</a> is a staff reporter at Mercom India. Previously with Reuters News, he has covered oil, metals and agricultural commodity markets across global markets. He has also covered refinery and pipeline explosions, oil and gas leaks, Atlantic region hurricane developments, and other natural disasters. Nithin holds a Masters Degree in Applied Economics from Christ University, Bangalore and a Bachelor&#8217;s Degree in Commerce from Loyola College, Chennai.<a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/author/nithin-thomas-prasad/" rel="noopener">More articles from Nithin Thomas Prasad</a></div>
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South African Mining Company Plans to Set up a 10 MW Solar Project

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