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Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects

1.5 GW Solar Power Parks Approved In Maharashtra, India

written by saurabh

The Indian government has sanction three solar power parks, or ultra mega solar power projects, in the western state of Maharashtra.

Maharashtra state officials told Indian media outlets that approval for three solar power projects has been secured from the central government. Each of these projects will have installed capacity of 500 MW and shall be spread in different districts of the state.

The state government seems to have zeroed down on the specific sites for the projects. Each project will be spread over 2,500 acres of land. The projects are likely to be auctioned by the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) as it has already done in states like Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan, among others.

SECI currently lists 34 such solar power parks across the country that have received in-principle approval. The cumulative capacity of these solar power parks is 20 GW. The solar power park program is linked to the green energy corridors project that will see installation of dedicated transmission lines for large renewable energy projects. These transmission lines shall enable supply of electricity from states rich in renewable energy generation to other states.

In June, it was reported that Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is reportedly planning to implement a second phase of the solar parks program. Initially, the capacity addition planned through ultra mega solar power projects was 20 GW, the ministry is now considering to double that.

Maharashtra, through its state policy, plans to set up 7.5 GW of solar power capacity by 2020.

11/30/2016 0 comment

Renewable Energy

India’s NTPC To Complete 1 GW Solar Power Park By March 2018

written by saurabh

India’s largest power generation company – government-owned NTPC – is on track to complete one of the largest solar power parks in the country.

NTPC Limited is working on 1 GW solar power park at Ananthapur, Andhra Pradesh in southern India. The company has already allocated and commissioned 250 MW at the solar power park and expected to commission the balance 750 MW by March 2018.

The 250 MW capacity is already operational and was commissioned earlier this year by Tata Power Solar (100 MW), Lanco Solar, BHEL and Sterling and Wilson (50 MW each).

The Anantapuram ultra mega solar power project is planned to have a total capacity of 1.5 GW spread across two sites within the Anantapurum district. The second phase of the solar park will have 750 MW capacity. Both the phases will be located at district Kunta. The balance 500 MW capacity shall come up at Galiveedu.

Apart from this solar power park, NTPC is working on several other similar projects in states across India, including Karnataka and Telangana where solar power parks of up to 5 GW capacity are under construction.

09/30/2016 0 comment

Renewable Energy

Mountainous Terrain Puts 1 GW Indian Solar Power Project In Limbo

written by saurabh

While some large solar power projects in the southern region of India continue to make significant progress, some in the northern region are facing uncertain future.

According to media reports, work on a 1 GW solar power park in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh has been hit by doubts over the viability of the project.

Officials working on the project have to revealed that it is economically unviable to set up a transmission line in the area to evacuate 1000 MW of solar power. The project was planned in the mountainous district of Spiti.

Power transmission company Power Grid has stated that it is not possible to set up a transmission line over such a difficult terrain. The company had earlier raised similar issues regarding a transmission project for 5 GW solar power park in Ladakh district in Jammu and Kashmir.

Power Grid has been working on dedicated transmission projects for large-scale solar and wind energy projects around the country. The company has made substantial progress in setting such transmission lines in the southern states where large capacity of solar power capacity has already been auctioned.

The 5 GW project planned in Ladakh has already been scrapped and if the 1 GW project in Himachal Pradesh is also scrapped the supply of solar power to northern states will be seriously affected. In the northern region, only Rajasthan has ample land resource as well as a strong solar power policy.

09/20/2016 0 comment

Renewable Energy

Competitive Solar Auction In India Keeps Tariffs Under US¢7.2/kWh

written by saurabh

Indian and international project developers continue to fight it out in one of the fastest growing solar power markets in the world.

The recent solar power auction in the Indian state of Karnataka saw one of the most competitive bidding in recent times. The auction allocated 500 MW capacity of the planned 2 GW solar power park part of the ambitious ultra mega solar power project scheme announced by the Indian government.

A total of 6 developers managed to win rights to develop the first phase of the solar power park. The winning bids were all within a range less than one US cent. The winning bids were between Rs 4.78/kWh to Rs 4.80/kWh (US¢7.2/kWh).

Interestingly, 5 of the 6 project developers were Indian companies while many major foreign developers, including SunEdison and Canadian Solar, failed to the cut.

Among the successful bidders, Adani Enterprises, Fortum Group (from Finland), ACME Solar, and Tata Power secured 100 MW project each while RattanIndia Power and ReNew Power Ventures won 50 MW project each.

Such a positive response to one of the first auctions under the ultra mega solar power scheme is very encouraging for the Indian government. The scheme is one of the mainstays of the Indian National Solar Mission which aims for 100 GW operational solar power capacity by March 2022.

Continued and active participation by the Indian developers is also a testament to the fact that it is not just the foreign developers that are propelling the low-cost solar power revolution in India.

04/26/2016 0 comment

Renewable Energy

Foreign Developers Fail To Make The Cut In India 500 MW Solar Power Auction

written by saurabh

Six project developers wrapped up 500 MW solar power tender with difference in their tariff bids of less than one US cent.

Interestingly, only a single foreign project developer could make the cut. Foreign project developers, like SkyPower Global, SunEdison and Fortum, have so far led the record-breaking solar power tariffs in India.

SkyPower Global is not believed to have participated in the auction while SunEdison could not submit a winning bid. Fortum Group managed to secure rights to develop 100 MW project at Rs 4.79/kWh (US¢7.2/kWh). Canadian Solar also participated in the bidding process but failed to quote a low enough tariff bid. The projects shall be part of the 2 GW ultra mega solar power project coming up in the southern state of Karnataka.

Apart from Fortum Group, all other winning developers are based in India. RattanIndia Power and ReNew Power Ventures won bids for 50 MW capacity each. Adani Enterprises, ACME and Tata Power secured the rights to develop 100 MW capacity each.

Participation by SunEdison should come as nothing short of a surprise. The company secured rights to develop a 500 MW project in Andhra Pradesh last year at Rs 4.63/kWh (US¢6.9/kWh) but is believed to be having problems implementing the project due to its poor financial condition.

04/20/2016 0 comment