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					</table><a href="https://inkel.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">INKEL</a>, a public-private partnership initiative promoted by the Government of Kerala, has issued a tender for module mounting structures for a 3.5 MW solar power project in Mylatty of Kasaragode district in the state.
The deadline for bid submission is April 11, 2024. Bids will be opened on the same day.
The tender calls for the supply of hot-dip galvanized mounting structures. These structures undergo a galvanization process involving dipping the steel components in a molten zinc bath, resulting in corrosion and rust resistance.
The scope of supply includes fabrication, machining, hot-dipping, testing, and delivery of the ground-mount solar PV module mounting structures as per approved drawings and technical specifications. The successful bidder must also provide stainless steel fasteners for module assembly and installation.
The project site at Mylatty will house 350 table sets, each with 30 polycrystalline PV modules in a 15&#215;2 arrangement, with an anticipated module weight of 22 kg each. The mounting structures must withstand environmental conditions for 25 years, including the ability to withstand wind speeds of up to 150 km/hr. The structures must have a minimum tilt angle of 10-13 degrees facing true south.
Bidders must submit an earnest money deposit of ₹50,000 (~$615) and a tender fee of ₹5,900 (~$73).
Bidders must be module mounting structure manufacturer or their authorized dealers. They should have supplied mounting structures for solar projects of more than 5,000 kW capacity in the last three financial years. They must have an annual turnover of ₹10 million (~$123,000) or more in the preceding five financial years.
The successful bidder can expect a payment schedule with 5% as an advance against a bank guarantee, 50% on delivery of materials at the site, and the remaining 45% upon site acceptance testing and the goods receipt note.
Last year, INKEL <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/kerala-invites-bids-solar-power-projects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invited</a> bids to select a contractor to supply the balance of system items, installation, and commissioning of 2.7 MW grid-connected ground mount solar projects in the state.
In 2022, it <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/empanelment-tender-14-mw-wind-power-projects-kerala" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invited</a> bids to develop 14 MW of wind power projects at Ozhalapathy and Vadakarapathy in the Palakkad district of Kerala.
Subscribe to Mercom’s <a href="https://mercomindia.com/product/india-solar-tender-tracker/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India Solar Tender Tracker </a>to stay on top of real-time tender activity.

INKEL Tenders Supply of Module Mounting Structures for 3.5 MW Solar Project

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					</table>The absence of mandatory standards for module mounting structures in solar projects often leads to hidden costs for developers, bringing down the projects&#8217; efficiency in the long run while allowing sub-standard products in circulation, prominent module mounting structure (MMS) manufacturers told Mercom India.
MMS manufacturing firms favor government-approved norms for this sector as it would raise product quality and weed out unauthorized suppliers. The standards would make available certified products with assurances and warranties to the developers and the EPC companies. The developers can also avail better prices for the metal scrap (primarily steel) at the end of its life.
Introducing standards for MMS companies would allow them to recover higher prices from the market to cover the investment in R&amp;D and design facilities. The ground-mounted projects primarily use steel as the base material for MMS, but they undergo various types of coating, including hot dip galvanized, galvalume, and ZAM (zinc, aluminum, and magnesium). For Rooftop projects, structures are made of anodized aluminum.
Although manufacturers estimate that the share of mounting structures in the overall installation cost could rise substantially from the current levels (5%) if mandatory standards are introduced, they insist that the price is worth paying for the quality of a project.
Besides, when mandatory standards govern the modules and inverters to ensure they are functional for the project&#8217;s duration, it makes sense that the steel structures they are mounted on also follow universally accepted norms.
A developer typically spends 5% of the utility-scale project cost on the mounting structures. In rooftop solar installations, it can be about 6%.
Due to pressure on the project cost, developers or EPC companies often opt for a reduction in the tonnage of the material used in mounting structures, which is often detrimental to the project&#8217;s long-term viability. Standardization in the sector would eliminate the arbitrage on cost and bring about universal norms so that quality is not compromised.
The average rooftop solar system cost in Q2 stood at ₹45.2 million ($568,646.5), as revealed in <a href="https://mercomindia.com/product/rooftop-solar-market-report-q2-2022/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mercom India Rooftop Solar Market Report Q2 2022</a>. The average cost for large-scale solar systems was ₹45.4 million ($571,147.8), according to the <a href="https://mercomindia.com/product/q2-2022-india-solar-market-update/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Q2 2022 India Solar Market Update</a>.
Existing certification scenario in MMS
Currently, the MMS suppliers follow the IS:875 Code, published in 1987, which is outdated. Suppliers want the government to establish a central authority that can bring out modern standards and codes for all mounting structures along the lines of the Bureau of Indian Standards norms for modules and inverters.
Without any regulation governing the sector, the material used in manufacturing mounting structures could vary widely: from 25-ton grade material to as low as 18-ton grade material.
Rishabh Gupta, Business Development Executive at <a href="https://www.goodluckindia.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoodLuck India</a>, said that proper material grade is essential for MMS design. &#8220;If a lower-grade material is chosen, the plant will not sustain for the entire duration of its life.&#8221;
Some prominent vertically integrated developers like Tata and Adani manufacture mounting structures in-house, while other developers or EPC companies rely on MMS manufacturers. These firms are often forced to compromise on the quality of MMS to shore up their margins, especially when the cost of other inputs like modules, inverters, or labor rise due to local or global factors.
Harshal Akhouri, the co-founder of <a href="https://www.strolar.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Strolar Mounting Systems</a>, said that while different internationally-recognized certification systems are available for MMS manufacturers, a popular certificate like UL-2703 certification could cost up to ₹400,000 (~$5,029.4) each time. &#8220;When customers realize the extra cost associated with the certification, they often ignore it. If the government makes it mandatory for the developers to follow the standard rule, they would be bound by it, which will reflect in their project cost also.&#8221;
Under product-wise certification, mounting structures undergo structural tests, wind tunnel tests, load bearing, and electrical conductivity tests.
Risks posed by sub-standard MMS
Although a vital part of a solar project, mounting structures are often not at the center of conversations, which are understandably dominated by module prices and tariffs. However, faulty mounting structures can substantially reduce the life of a project.
A mounting structure must ensure that it withstands vagaries of nature, including the corrosive effects of moisture-laden coastal winds and different types of soil. Furthermore, weather patterns involving wind velocity and rains change drastically across geographies.
MMS companies agree that incorrectly designed mounting structures could have a catastrophic effect on a solar system.
For instance, the clamps that hold the panels together with the structure should be designed so that the stress can propagate adequately. Faulty clamps can result in module breakdown, Akhouri said. The structures could sag, bend, or get twisted due to the weight of solar modules if the columns are not appropriately designed with a robust grade of material.
Rooftop challenges
Developers say that the lack of standardization of the MMS does not impact everyone equally.
&#8220;A serious developer, having spent on the best of the modules and inverters, will likely have their in-house design team for MMS structures,&#8221; said Divanshu Gupta, Head of Sales and Business Development at <a href="https://www.hartek.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hartek Group</a>.
These developers deploy the best-suited structures in terms of design and material regardless of the lack of standards.
However, the lack of standards exposes companies that outsource the design and manufacturing of the MMS to the risk of sub-standard products. These players stand to benefit if the industry follows universal mandatory norms.
Gupta said that while enforceable standards are desirable, they are not very practical in rooftop solar installations due to the presence of many variables ranging from roof size to building structure. Rooftop solar installations often require specific design and manufacturing of MMS for each project. A uniform set of codes could be difficult to implement in the rooftop solar segment.
Standardization ensures mandatory guidelines for quality and safety, and such a system is usually the backbone for any manufacturing process. Similarly, introducing mandatory standards for MMS will not only make them globally competitive but will also deter developers facing immense cost pressure from using sub-standard structures.

Why Mandatory Standards for Solar Module Mounting Structures are a Priority

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (<a href="https://www.bhel.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BHEL</a>) has invited bids for the supply of 650,000 kg of galvanized steel structures for 9 MW of solar projects across India.
The solar projects that would probably be developed are located at Udangudi (Tamil Nadu) – 750 kW, Yadadri (Telangana) 2.5 MW, Jawaharpur (UP) – 4 MW, and Panki (UP) – 1.75 MW. The projects are to be developed under the 2022-24 Framework Agreement.
The last date to submit the bids is June 4, 2022. Bids will be opened on the same day.
BHEL has stated that the successful bidder must procure all raw materials from Tata Steel, SAIL, Essar Steel, JSW Steel, Rashtriya Ispat Nigam, and Jindal Steel and Power.
All the components should be hot-dip galvanized as per IS:4759 or IS: 2629 certifications, and the thickness of the zinc coating should be a minimum of 610 gm/square meter equalling a minimum of 85 microns.
The thickness of the sections should vary from 1.6 mm to 3.2 mm, and the delivery of the structures should be made within ten weeks (including inspection) or two weeks after dispatch clearance from BHEL, whichever is earlier.
The selected bidder must also provide a warranty on the supplied products for 24 months from the date of supply or 18 months from commissioning, whichever is earlier.
The supply of the products should conform to the dimensions indicated in the drawings and quality plan.
After finalizing this tender, BHEL shall enter into a Framework Agreement with successful bidders. The framework agreement will be valid for the quantity mentioned in the notice inviting tender for two years. BHEL will place a purchase order in line with the Framework Agreement and as per BHEL’s requirement.
To participate in the bidding process, the bidder should have supplied 200 metric tons (MT) of similar items like galvanized steel structures, trays, lattice, or module mounting structures during the last year, or 400 MT in the last two financial years.
The bidder should have a minimum monthly manufacturing capacity of 40 MW of galvanized steel structures.
The bidder should have an in-house hot-dip galvanizing facility suitable for up to 6 m jobs or tie-up with a third party for galvanizing up to 6 m jobs. The bidder should be ISO 9001 compatible organization with valid certificates.
The average annual turnover of the bidder should be at least ₹20 million (~$257,800) during the last three financial years. Also, the bidder’s net worth should be positive during the last three financial years.
The bidder should have supplied directly or through the main contractor or should be a registered supplier to BHEL, NTPC, NHPC, state electricity boards, Power Grid Corporation of India, BSNL, Indian Railways, or any government-owned infrastructure construction company.
Recently, BHEL <a href="https://mercomindia.com/bhel-issues-balance-of-systems-tender-for-a-5-mw-solar-project/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued</a> a notice inviting tender for the design, supply, installation, and commissioning of the balance of systems (BoS) for a 5 MW grid-connected solar power project at BHEL-Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
Earlier, BHEL had <a href="https://mercomindia.com/bhel-issues-tender-for-supply-of-solar-module-mounting-structures-in-bhopal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued</a> a tender for the supply of 145.54 MT of module mounting structures for its 5 MW solar project in Bhopal.
Subscribe to Mercom’s <a href="https://mercomindia.com/product/india-solar-tender-tracker/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India Solar Tender Tracker</a> to stay on top of tender activity in real-time.

BHEL Floats Tender for Galvanized Steel Structures for 9 MW of Solar Projects

Manufacturers of mounting structures for solar modules have been facing a severe shortage in a critical raw material – steel. The price volatility of this essential metal and the disruption in supply have created a challenge for the manufacturers to supply the mounting structures to solar projects within the scheduled timeline.
The global steel prices surged in the first four months of 2021. But, steel producers struggled to supply as the production was low due to a shortage of iron ore, the raw material used to produce steel.
Mercom spoke to several mounting structure manufacturers to understand their challenges in procuring the raw material, balancing demand with supply, and meeting deadlines.
Procurement of raw material
According to the data released by the Ministry of Steel, in April 2021, the export of steel increased by 121.6%, and imports declined by 10.7%.
In the first quarter (Q1) of the financial year (FY) 2021-22, the export of steel increased 43.9% compared to Q4 FY 2020-21, and the import declined by 4.5% during the same period.
Harshal Akhouri, Chief Executive Officer at <a href="https://www.strolar.com/contacts.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Strolar</a>, said, &#8220;Due to the uncertainty in the market, the steel manufacturers have been offering rates with weekly validity to the mounting structure suppliers. .&#8221;
Mounting structure manufacturers take six to eight weeks to supply structures against an order. The price is decided with solar developers at the time of placing the order. However, steel manufacturers offer the price rate to mounting structure manufacturers weekly. Since structure manufacturers procure steel in tranches, they have faced losses due to the volatile steel prices.
&#8220;In addition, the solar project work order does not come with a price escalation clause from the developer. With no backing on price validity from the steel manufacturers, the mounting structure suppliers find it difficult to manage uncertainties in prices to procure steel,&#8221; Akhouri added.
Samir Agarwal, Sales Officer, <a href="https://manstructurals.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Man Structurals</a>, said the government focused on exporting steel to maintain the gross domestic product (GDP) and raise funds that created a shortage of steel in the domestic market. In addition, fluctuation in the supply of steel and transport delays disrupted supply. We also have to bear losses in some projects due to the hurdles in procuring raw materials.
However, a senior executive of a steel manufacturing company said these issues faced by mounting structure manufacturers are things of the past. Currently, there is enough steel production to meet the demand. However, there was a shortage in steel supply until last month due to a scarcity of iron ore to produce steel.
Animesh Damani, Managing Partner, <a href="https://artha.energy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Artha Energy Resources</a>, said, “The price of mounting structures increased by 25% to 28% in between March and June 2021 as the price of base metal (steel) had risen during the same period. Therefore, the cost of solar projects increased by around 2%, and developers have been forced to reduce their profit margin. However, we did not face any delay in the procurement of mounting structure that forced us to delay any projects beyond scheduled commissioning date or leading to  losses.”
Echoing similar thoughts, a senior executive of a multinational renewable energy company said commodities are at an all-time high, and steel prices increased to around ₹96 (~$1.29)/kilogram from ₹56 (~$0.76)/kilogram. Consequently, the cost of mounting structures and solar projects increased. There were issues in the procurement of mounting structures due to lockdown and unavailability of labor. However, solar developers did not miss the scheduled commissioning date because the government has provided adequate timeline extension to complete projects.
Domestic demand for mounting structures 
Despite the Covid-19 and volatility in the global steel prices, the demand for mounting structures is high as the construction of solar projects continued post lockdown. 
According to Mercom India Research&#8217;s <a href="https://mercomindia.com/product/q1-2021-india-solar-market-update/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Q1 2021 India Solar Market Update</a>, India added 2,056 MW of solar capacity in the first quarter of 2021, a 37% increase quarter-over-quarter, compared to 1,505 MW installed in the fourth quarter of 2020.
Akhouri said, &#8220;The demand for mounting structures is high despite radical changes in the global steel prices. However, the apprehensions regarding the prices have left a dent in the minds of the mounting systems&#8217; suppliers, but this will slowly heal as we move towards a new normal.&#8221;
However, Agarwal disagreed with this thought and said the demand is relatively low due to the pandemic. And higher prices of steel and zinc increased the price of raw materials by approximately 20-25%, leading to a fall in the overall demand for mounting structures.
A senior executive of a steel manufacturing company said, &#8220;The steel demand is higher from mounting structure manufacturers as several solar projects are being constructed simultaneously. In addition, the solar industry has aggressive installation targets due to which the steel demand will remain high.&#8221; 
Pricing challenges
The Indian solar market has always been price sensitive. Mounting structure manufacturers are adopting new strategies and business approaches to survive in these unusual times.
Akhouri said the uncertainty in the global steel market added to the woes of domestic mounting structure manufacturers and negatively impacted the financial health of solar project developers. With this, steelmakers also hiked booking amounts up to five times from the current amount. This has affected the availability of working capital for mounting structure manufacturers.
However, a senior executive of a steel manufacturing company said there are no specific challenges for steel companies. Until last month, there was a shortage of steel. However, the market has stabilized, and the industry is expected to come back to normalcy soon.
Mercom recently <a href="https://mercomindia.com/commodity-prices-continue-rising-solar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> the rising price trends in commodities, including steel, aluminum, and copper, taking a toll and increasing the burden of solar developers. With solar tariffs remaining low in the recent <a href="https://mercomindia.com/ntpc-solararise-win-rumsls-450-mw-shajapur-solar-auction-lowest-tariff-%e2%82%b92-33-kwh/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">auctions</a>, the pressure on component suppliers keeps building up.

Solar Mounting Structures and Projects Impacted by Steel Prices and Iron Ore Shortages

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (<a href="https://www.bhel.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BHEL</a>) has invited bids for the supply of 2,250 MT of module mounting structure (3mm and above) for the 500 MW solar project at Neemuch Solar Park in Madhya Pradesh. The park is being developed by Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Limited (<a href="https://rumsl.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RUMSL</a>).
RUMSL has <a href="https://mercomindia.com/madhya-pradesh-rumsl-extends/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued</a> a tender to develop 1,500 MW of grid-connected solar projects across three solar parks in the state of Madhya Pradesh.
The last date to submit the bids is May 24, 2021, and bids will be opened on the same day.
The successful bidder will have to furnish a performance bank guarantee of 10% of the basic value of the purchase order, which will be valid for 24 months from the date of dispatch of goods and a claim period of three months.
For the fabrication, the bidder should be a manufacturer and have an in-house cold-forming facility. Interested bidders will also have to provide the capacity proof for any one month during the last three years, showing minimum capacity per month.
The cold-forming process is deployed for producing metal components at low temperatures without removing any materials.
For a hot-dip galvanization, the bidder should have an in-house galvanization facility or a galvanization facility at one of its subsidiary companies. Alternatively, the bidder should have a tie-up with another company for galvanization works.
To qualify in the bidding process, the bidder also needs to produce a solvency certificate issued by any nationalized bank or scheduled banks for a minimum worth of ₹20 million (~$271,623).
As per the tender document, the tender quantity of 2,250 MT will be procured from three vendors in the ratio of 50:30: 20 at the lowest (L1) price. If L2 does not match the L1 price, the same would be passed to L3, L4, L5, and so on.
The module mounting parts should be packed in bundles with steel straps with corner wedges of plastic or rubber material to prevent damage to the surface during handling, the tender document specifies.
Benefits and facilities for micro and small enterprises (MSEs) will be available to MSEs registered with the designated authorities. The tender has also made provisions for women and protected groups recognized by the government. Out of the 25% purchase preference for MSEs, 3% will be reserved for women-owned MSEs, while 6.25% of the total share will be earmarked for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes-owned MSE firms.
BHEL reserves the right to visit the vendor or subsidiaries with whom the tie-up is established to check on relevant documents. It could remove the bidder from the process if the documents do not meet needed criteria.
Last month, BHEL <a href="https://mercomindia.com/bhel-bids-750-mw-monocrystalline-modules/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invited</a> bids for the supply of 750 MW of monocrystalline silicon solar modules to be used in the 500 MW RUMSL solar park at Neemuch in Madhya Pradesh.
Subscribe to Mercom’s <a href="https://mercomindia.com/product/india-solar-tender-tracker/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India Solar Tender Tracker</a> to stay on top of tender activity in real-time.

BHEL Issues Module Mounting Structures Tender for a 500 MW Solar Project

The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (<a href="https://wss.mahadiscom.in/wss/wss?uiActionName=getViewPayBill" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">MSEDCL)</a>, has issued a request for selection (RfS), calling for the purchase of power on a long-term basis from 1,000 MW of grid-connected solar projects (phase III).
The ceiling tariff has been set at ₹2.80 ($0.04)/kWh.
The last date for submission is July 9, 2019. A pre-bid meeting will be held on June 19, 2019.
An earnest money deposit (EMD) of ₹5 million ($ 72,158) will be required to participate in this tender.
The MSEDCL, to meet its renewable purchase obligation (RPO) and future power needs, will be purchasing the solar power from these projects and will sign a power purchase agreement (PPA) for 25 years.
The RfS document states that the bidders are free to avail fiscal incentives like accelerated depreciation, concessional customs and excise duties, tax holidays, and benefits from trading carbon credits.
For intra-state projects, the minimum bidding capacity has been set at a minimum of 5 MW. In case of import of energy during a month, payment must be made to the MSEDCL in line with the stipulated rates.
For inter-state projects, the minimum bidding capacity has been stipulated at 50 MW, and all related transmission charges and losses are to be borne by the selected bidder. The successful bidder is expected to attain financial closure within nine months from the date of signing the PPA.
Solar PV projects using crystalline silicon or thin film, with or without trackers are to be considered for this project, the RfS document states. It adds that only commercially established and operational technologies are to be used.
The cells and modules used must be from manufacturers included in the <a href="https://mercomindia.com/mnre-announce-list-of-approved-solar-manufacturers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ALMM list</a> of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
Previously, the <a href="https://mercomindia.com/maharashtra-1-gw-solar-tender-oversubscribed-400-mw/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">solar tender</a> floated in Maharashtra for 1 GW of grid-connected solar projects under Phase-II tender had managed to attract plenty of bidders and was oversubscribed by 900 MW. The capacity was tendered in <a href="https://mercomindia.com/maharashtra-solar-tender-1-gw/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">December 2018</a>. Initially, the MSEDCL had set an upper ceiling tariff at ₹2.80 (~$0.039)/kWh, and the bid submission deadline was January 3, 2019. Later, the ceiling was revised to ₹2.90 (~$0.041)/kWh while the bid submission deadline was extended to January 22, 2019.
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/maharashtra-rfs-floating-solar-tariff/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Recently</a>, the state also issued a request for selection for the purchase of power from 1,000 MW (100 MW X 10 clusters) of grid-connected floating solar PV power project on Ujjani dam in Solapur district.

Maharashtra Tenders 1 GW of Solar with a Ceiling Tariff of ₹2.80/kWh

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (<a href="http://www.bhel.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BHEL</a>) has issued a tender for the procurement of 1,500 metric tons of module mounting structure columns for setting up 129 MW of solar power projects in Telangana.
BHEL recently won this order from Singareni Collieries Company Limited. The 129 MW projects are to be set up at four locations in Telangana – Ramagundam (50 MW), Yellandu (39 MW), Manuguru (30 MW), and Pegadapally (10 MW), on engineering, procurement and construction basis.
The last date for the submission of bids is February 15, 2019. The technical bids will open on the same date.
To be eligible to bid, a bidder should be a manufacturer and have in-house cold roll forming facility with a minimum capacity of 400 metric tons per month.
In <a href="https://mercomindia.com/singareni-collieries-300-mw-solar-telangana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">August 2018</a>, Mercom reported about Singareni Collieries’ plans to develop 300 MW of solar projects in captive mode on vacant lands at nine locations of the company. The Solar Energy Corporation of India had issued a tender to award EPC contracts for development of 150 MW solar PV capacity spread across various locations of Singareni Collieries. It was a domestic competitive bidding tender.
“BHEL has been awarded 129 MW in the first phase and the remaining capacity is yet to be processed. The most likely time to process the remaining capacity will be around February end”, an SCCL official informed Mercom India.
Singareni Collieries has estimated the entire capacity development to cost approximately ₹13,615 million (~$199.9 million) through a debt equity ratio of 70:30.
According to the company, the debt portion of ₹9,530 million (~$139 million) will be met through banks and foreign investors and the equity portion of ₹4,085 million (~$ 59.6 million) will be met through its internal resources. The Singareni Collieries board has approved the detailed project reports for nine solar projects.
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/bhel-bags-orders-solar-projects-gujarat/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">In June 2018,</a> BHEL had announced bagging orders worth ₹1.25 billion (~$0.019 billion) for the development of two solar power projects in Gujarat.
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/bhel-to-construct-75mw-solar-gujarat/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Previously, Mercom reported</a> that <a href="http://bhel.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BHEL</a> also bagged a 75 MW grid-connected solar PV project in Gujarat Solar Park, located in Charanka village of Patan district.
Image credit: Mahindra Susten

BHEL Floats Tender for Solar Module Mounting Structure Columns for 129 MW of Projects

India’s solar installations recorded in the first half (1H) of calendar year 2018 totaled almost 5 GW and the country’s total installed capacity has exceeded <a href="https://mercomindia.com/solar-installations-3-gw-25-gw-4-years-pm-modi/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">25 GW</a>.
Large-scale solar installations (1 MW+) accounted for the bulk of total installations in 1H 2018, making up about 84 percent of the total 4,138 MW installed. The remaining 16 percent of installations recorded were for rooftop solar, totaling 805 MW. Rooftop installations grew by 55 percent year-over-year (YoY) with cumulative installations totaling nearly 2,410 MW as of June 2018.
Mercom India’s newly released <a href="https://mercomindia.com/product/mercoms-india-solar-market-share-report-1h-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">India Solar Market Leaderboard 1H 2018</a>  reveals the industry’s leaders as well as their market share and shipment rankings across the Indian solar supply chain.
“While some of the larger companies maintained their leadership position, we saw some new faces on the leaderboard in 1H 2018 &#8211; which means there is healthy competition in the market,” said Raj Prabhu, CEO of Mercom Capital Group.
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/table1.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-11578" src="https://mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/table1.png" alt="India’s Solar Market Share Leaders for First Half of 2018 Revealed" width="437" height="417" srcset="https://cms.mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/table1.png 437w, https://cms.mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/table1-300x286.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 437px) 100vw, 437px" /></a>
                          Full list of market share leaders available <a href="https://mercomindia.com/product/mercoms-india-solar-market-share-report-1h-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a>
According to the <a href="https://mercomindia.com/product/mercoms-india-solar-market-share-report-1h-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">report</a>, in 1H 2018 the top 10 large-scale developers accounted for 55 percent market share with all others making up the remaining 45 percent. There were also approximately 300 utility-scale project developers in the country with projects of at least 5 MW or more in operation.
In 1H 2018, the top 10 installers made up only 27 percent of all rooftop projects installed in India, leaving all other rooftop developers with 73 percent of the share, a reflection of the fragmented nature of the market.
<a href="http://www.adanigreenenergy.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Adani</a> remained the largest project developer in terms of total cumulative installations in 1H 2018, as well as the top installer in terms of capacity installed through the end of 1H 2018.
<a href="http://sterlingandwilson.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sterling and Wilson</a> was the top EPC company cumulatively and in 1H 2018.
There are around 70 large-scale project developers with a pipeline of 5 MW or more in India. <a href="https://renewpower.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ReNew Power</a> had the largest project pipeline at the end of 1H 2018.
Cumulative rooftop solar installations in India totaled over 2.4 GW at the end of June 2018, representing 10 percent of the country’s total installed solar capacity. <a href="https://www.tatapower.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Tata Power Solar</a> had the largest cumulative rooftop portfolio, and <a href="https://cleanmaxsolar.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CleanMax</a> emerged as the top rooftop installer in 1H 2018.
<a href="https://new.abb.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ABB</a> leads the solar inverter market in India. As of 1H 2018, ABB remained at the <a href="https://mercomindia.com/abb-sungrow-huawei-inverter/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">top of the list</a> in terms of solar inverter shipments to India. Central inverters are more <a href="https://mercomindia.com/string-inverter-indian-solar-market/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">favored</a> over string inverters by developers, which is central inverters accounted for approximately 90 percent of the total shipments, while <a href="https://mercomindia.com/string-inverter-indian-solar-market/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">string inverters</a> accounted for 10 percent cumulatively.
In 1H 2018, the top five module suppliers accounted for over 37 percent of the market. At the end of June 2018, <a href="https://www.trinasolar.com/en-glb/index" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trina Solar</a> was the leading module supplier to India in terms of cumulative shipments while <a href="http://en.znshinesolar.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ZnShine</a> was the top supplier in 1H 2018.
There are over 50 suppliers of solar mounting structures active in the Indian market, the top supplier was <a href="http://www.gangesintl.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ganges Internationale</a>.
There are over 30 suppliers of solar trackers active in the Indian market. As of June 2018, approximately 4 GW of trackers have been supplied for project development. <a href="https://www.nextracker.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NEXTracker</a> and <a href="http://www.arctechsolar.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Artech Solar</a> lead the pack with cumulative shipments. <a href="http://www.lntecc.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">L&amp;T</a> was the top supplier in 1H 2018.
 
For a full list of market share leaders and comprehensive report, <a href="https://mercomindia.com/product/mercoms-india-solar-market-share-report-1h-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">visit here</a>
Image credit: Flickr

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