High-power string inverters have gained popularity in large-scale solar projects since they combine the benefits of conventional central and string inverters. These high-power string inverters are small enough for easy installation and can be quickly swapped in case of faults. Like the central inverters, they are highly efficient in terms of DC to AC conversion, delivering better economics.

These string inverters also reduce equipment costs and BOS components installation expenses, as well as enhance monitoring and control capabilities. In utility-scale projects, simplifying grid integration is especially critical.

Solar installations have grown in India and are now 16% of the installed power capacity mix. Given the impact of solar intermittency on grid stability, it’s never been more important for power generation to be optimal and predictable. Since most solar projects are in areas with high solar irradiance, the performance of solar modules and inverters–both primary components in a project–is critical.

Climate change only adds to the challenge of solar project operation in high ambient temperatures. If not optimally sized, the efficiency and performance of PV inverters can be a concern in these conditions.

The “Risks and Solutions for Insuring Hybrid Renewable Energy Projects” webinar hosted by Mercom India will bring together insurance specialists and developers to discuss the unique risks of hybrid renewable projects and offer solutions to address the concerns.

To date, India has an installed capacity of 3.6 GW of hybrid renewable energy projects, and an additional 31.2 GW of projects are under various stages of development. Hybrid renewable energy projects often require project developers to consider multiple risk mitigation measures to address an array of potential exposure factors, such as construction, the environment, regulations, technology, and operational hazards.

Technology in the solar sector is fast-evolving as larger modules with higher power ratings of 600 W+ are becoming the new standard. The project designs are being upgraded to accommodate larger modules generating more power, requiring all other equipment to step up.

Demand for powerful string inverters with capacities ranging from 250 kW to 350 kW has surged to meet these design requirements. Such high-capacity inverters play a crucial role in curbing costs across BoS components, labor, and overall project expenditures. Additionally, given the reduced number of inverters requiring maintenance, operational expenses are anticipated to be lower.

The viability of a solar photovoltaic (PV) project depends largely on the quality and performance of solar modules. The PV systems need to operate safely, reliably, and profitably under various climatic conditions for the lifetime of the project (25-30 years).

The return on investment (ROI) of the project depends on the amount of electricity generated every year, and system performance degradation needs to be addressed to enhance the ROI of a project.

Battery energy storage (BESS) technologies globally are transforming how companies utilize, control, and dispatch electricity and facilitating a smoother transition to clean energy. The Indian market is also realizing how battery storage can enhance the performance of solar systems. A battery storage system helps in saving solar energy for later use, ensuring there is less energy imported from the grid. In the case of power cuts, storage systems provide vital backup of power. The systems can be used strategically to store power during off-peak hours and use it during peak hours, thereby reducing power bills.

There is a vast untapped market for storage-integrated solar solutions in India’s residential and C&I segments. Only a few government organizations have taken the lead in initiating the transition to battery-backed rooftop solar. Given the up-front costs of these solutions, commercial adoption is still emerging, but the potential is enormous.

India has a cumulative installed solar capacity of 52 GW, of which 86% is utility-scale projects. Capital spending in the solar sector has grown with an emphasis on using advanced modules to boost power generation. But if these expensive modules are not maintained regularly, customers will see a decrease in efficiency, impacting the bottom line.

Robotic cleaning is a cost-effective option for O&M automation and conserving water while increasing the ROI.

The aggressive solar bids and pressure on the project cost due to rising component prices have necessitated higher efficiency and advanced technology modules.

Manufacturers have been trying to deliver higher efficiency modules to reduce the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) and enhance the value of solar assets.

India has a unique demand for module technologies that need to balance the need for competitive pricing and advanced technologies that can reduce the levelized cost of energy.

While the rest of the world has adopted larger size modules (M10 and M12), bifacial, n-type, and TopCon, monocrystalline and polycrystalline modules still dominate the growing Indian market.

String inverters are rapidly gaining popularity among solar developers. Demand for these inverters is typically in the distributed solar segment. But string inverters are also becoming popular for utility-scale solar systems due to newer flexible and scalable technology advancements.

This webinar will bring together the developers and manufacturers to discuss the advantages of string inverters and how they are improving the economics of utility-scale systems by maximizing system performance and reliability and reducing downtime.

The economic benefits of installing solar rooftops are increasingly apparent. Advanced technologies and innovative business models adopted by C&I entities are the new growth drivers making rooftop solar adoption attractive.

The rooftop solar system payback period has been consistently reducing while the savings and ROI is growing. But the key is to develop quality assets with the best technology and right design.

About 38 GW of large-scale solar projects have been installed in India, and over 9 GW of projects have been in operation for five years or more. The solar project development pipeline is growing with 52.8 GW under various stages of construction. The sector has been attracting investors from across the globe, and the primary concern has been the quality of projects.

Developers constantly face the challenge of maintaining a delicate balance of optimizing the asset performance while justifying the costs. The owners of aging assets also face the risk of cost escalation with the increase in O&M labor costs and supply chain issues. Energy production underperformance has also been reported in various large-scale assets.

With the growing penetration of solar and wind power, government agencies and distribution companies are trying to integrate intermittent sources with the grid. Energy storage is the ideal solution to manage peak demand, save operational costs, mitigate the risk of curtailment, and increase grid stability and resiliency. With the demand for hybrid and round-the-clock renewable power on the rise, this is the right time for the country to create an enabling environment for solar + storage systems.

In this webinar, we will discuss:

Solar module technologies have been evolving rapidly, with manufacturers aiming at higher efficiencies at the module, cell, and even the wafer levels. Pressure on tariffs due to aggressive bidding is driving the need to reduce the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) and increase the values of the solar assets.

New modules and models with M10, 182 mm x 182 mm solar cells combining PERCIUM+ technologies are said to achieve a conversion efficiency as high as 21%. Compared to the 400W series modules, the 545W+ modules are reducing the LCOE by 7-9% is the claim.

The role of solar EPC service providers has never been more challenging or indispensable at the same time. EPC companies with a strong track record and proficiency are essential not just to meet deadlines and optimize project performance but also to manage supply chain challenges, especially when there is significant price pressure resulting from low tariffs. Gone are the days of fly-by-night operators as COVID-affected markets demand service providers that have the skills to deliver under tough conditions and wafer-thin margins.

The Indian solar market is an attractive destination for investors. One of the top solar markets in the world, the country has a robust large-scale solar project pipeline of 53.6 GW, with another 24.1 GW tendered and pending auction. Quality solar assets are equally important for the government, developers, investors, and acquirers.

The open access solar market in India is ripe with opportunities. Open access projects provide alternate avenues for developers and investors hesitant to participate in hyper-competitive auctions for large projects and find the rooftop solar domain too small. For large power consumers in the commercial and industrial (C&I) segment keen to go green as part of corporate responsibility or meet renewable purchase obligations, open access is a perfect choice.

Mercom’s recently released report on Open Access Solar Market has unveiled many interesting facts on this emerging market in India. Half of India’s open access solar power is now consumed by C&I consumers and growing every year.

It was an eventful first quarter for the solar industry in India. The second wave of the pandemic has wreaked havoc on the supply chain, construction, and commercial activity. But what else is of significance are the new initiatives, a slew of duties, and policy changes that have left the industry confused and looking for a clear path forward in this crucial time.

Mercom’s recently released Q1 2021 India Solar Market Update has comprehensively captured the major developments, price and market movements, and industry sentiments. We have taken into consideration the plethora of challenges across the industry and uncertainties in the market to develop this comprehensive report, which includes three different scenarios for this year’s solar forecast based on the impact of fragmented lockdowns on the projects.

India has a cumulative installed solar capacity of 41 GW and a large-scale solar project pipeline of 53.6 GW, with another 24.1 GW tendered and pending auctions at the end of Q1 2021.

With the current pandemic, it has become increasingly challenging to manage the workforce, along with the unprecedented rise in component prices, and the eventual project costs. These testing times have culminated in an industry demand for innovative solutions for effectively building and operating assets.

String inverters are fast gaining market share in solar installations – both utility-scale and rooftop making up 49% of the inverter market in India in 2020.

With rooftop solar installations, the challenges are unique, and so are the opportunities. Rooftop solar installations are cost-sensitive and demand the best technologies to ensure they produce the maximum output. The added challenges are shading on the rooftop and optimizing the generation. Remote monitoring and in-built safety features are also integral for rooftop solar systems, especially during the pandemic.

In these tough times, lowering costs has become more crucial for businesses as increasing revenues is a challenge. Rooftop solar is seen as an attractive option for commercial and industrial units that are trying to reduce their operating expenses. With many emerging business models, there is a renewed interest to go solar.

The webinar brought together developers and C&I customers to understand how affordable and accessible rooftop solar is despite challenges.

In this high-level webinar, Mercom’s senior team discussed the key takeaways from the Indian solar market in 2020. They discussed the performance of India’s solar market over the past year compared to other top global markets, analyzed the trends that are shaping the market right now, as well as the outlook for the rest of 2021.

Our annual and Q4 2020 India Solar Market Update was recently released, and this webinar included key findings from across the supply chain to understand how the solar industry in India is tackling the aftermath of disruption caused by the outbreak of the pandemic. They also analyzed major policy announcements, industry challenges, and the path to install over 20 GW of solar over the next two years.

2021 is expected to be a stellar year for solar. The industry’s hopes are pinned on the next two years to make up for the lost year that was 2020.

Mercom is forecasting 2021 to be the best year for solar in India to date. Per Mercom Research, about 48 GW of solar projects are in the pre and under-construction stage. In this huge market, which module technology is going to capture a majority of market share? What are developers and EPC service providers thinking? Which technology is winning the LCOE plus advanced technology game? Who are the major suppliers, and what are their strategies?

The solar industry is seeing a surge in new technologies. Along with technological advancements in modules, there is significant innovation happening in solar inverters.

Project developers and EPC companies have been trying to find the right solution considering the cost, size, and maintenance of the projects. Central vs string inverters – the choice that stakeholders are trying to make.

The solar industry is rapidly shifting toward new solar panel technologies, including larger PV modules with power ratings of more than 500Wp, half-cut technology, larger wafer sizes, and gallium-doping.

These new technologies promise higher efficiency, better performance in varied temperatures, and reduced impact from shading, resulting in lower levelized cost of electricity and higher returns for solar projects.

Mercom’s Q2 2020 India Solar Market Update is out, and the numbers are in. Watch Mercom’s senior leaders as they analyzed the latest findings and developments in India’s solar sector over the quarter.

Learn about some of the challenges we expect in the second half as projects are moved into the new year, and markets try to bounce back from COVID disruptions. We went over the impact of the safeguard duty extension and discussed outcomes and expectations from other key duties being proposed.

This exclusive roundtable covered the most pressing issues and opportunities in the Indian renewable energy sector.

Mercom, along with some of the leading market experts in manufacturing, BoS, rooftop solar, large-scale development, and finance, analyzed the current solar market amid COVID. The panel discussed the recent push towards domestic manufacturing, and what it takes to develop a local manufacturing infrastructure and the government incentives that are needed to make it happen.

In this webinar, Mercom discussed key trends shaping the Indian solar market right now, based on its recently released India Solar Market Update report, for the first quarter of 2020. Mercom discussed the findings from the report as well as the outlook for the rest of 2020.

Mercom presenters went over solar installation growth, policy updates, the impact of coronavirus on the market for the rest of 2020, and other critical regulatory issues. They also discussed supply chain issues and how the solar industry in India is moving forward during COVID-19.

The rooftop solar market in India is plagued by low-quality installations, which are turning out to be bad investments. There is a lack of awareness when it comes to picking the right technology, which provides the best ROI for the life of the project.

Rooftop solar is on the way to become the primary choice of energy generation for commercial, industrial and residential segments in India, and there is a growing need to extract the full potential and invest in technologies that are going to stay relevant in the coming decades.

In an ultra-competitive, cost-sensitive market like India, optimum module performance is vital to maintain plant efficiency levels and attractive ROIs. Module defects have increased globally by 30% as per the latest field studies, and having defective modules can result in unintended financial losses and higher operating costs.

Experts discussed PV module quality deficiencies identified from field installations, penetration of new PV technologies in Indian space, and their advantages. The webinar gave inputs on better module procurement methods, including technical and commercial recommendations, along with unique techniques to prevent financial losses, increase savings, and improve project bankability.

On this webinar, Mercom discussed the performance of India’s solar market over the past year, some of the key trends that are shaping the market right now, as well as the outlook for the rest of 2020.

This webinar included findings from across the supply chain to understand how the solar industry in India is tackling the outbreak of coronavirus. We provided up-to-date information about the impact faced by the solar supply chain in India, various challenges, scenarios, and policies, and discuss ways to navigate through this uncertain environment.