 |
||
|
||
 |
||
|
Policy |
||
| Competitive bidding raises hopes for wind sector | ||
| Sapna Gopal The year 2017 witnessed the wind sector in India transit from Feed-in Tariffs (FiTs) to competitive bidding(reverse auctions), a move that many industry insiders believe, led to its slowdown. Since the introduction of e-Reverse Auction in 2017, the wind sector has only been able to achieve 1.7 GW per annum. With tariffs that are not viable, many original equipment manufacturers chose to export the turbines and components instead of catering to a low volume and a low tariff domestic market, experts lamented. However, things may soon improve for the sector as in January this year, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) revised the auction process for wind energy projects to move from reverse auctions to closed bidding. Some of the main features of the new competitive bidding mechanism are: Bids for a cumulative capacity of about 8 GW will be issued each year from January 1, 2023 onwards, up to 2030. To ensure that wind energy capacity is developed in all the eight windy states, (Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Telangana), every bid will be a composite one, consisting of state-specific sub-bids for each of the eight windy states. The power generated from the capacity established via each of the state sub-bids will be pooled and offered at a pooled tariff to all procurers. The pooling will be as per the Electricity (Amendment) Rules, 2022. READ MORE |
||
|
News Updates |
||
| IIT Madras to collaborate with Denmark on Energy Systems | ||
| Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) is collaborating with Industry and Academia in Denmark for various research projects in areas of climate change mitigation and enabling green transition. A total of four projects were announced on March 1st, 2023, at an event at IIT Madras Research Park (IITMRP) in the presence of HRH the Crown Prince of Denmark, Lars Aagaard, Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities, Government of Denmark, and Freddy Svane, Ambassador of Denmark to India, among other stakeholders. READ MORE |
||
| India has huge potential to lead the world in Green Energy, says PM | ||
| The Ministry of Power led the first post-budget webinar on Green Growth with discussions in six parallel sessions on 12 announcements made in the Union Budget 2023-24. At the event, held on February 23rd, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the industry to invest in the sector and said that the India had a huge potential to lead the world in green energy and generate green jobs. “This Budget will play a key role in establishing India as a lead player in the global green energy market. That is why, today, I invite every stakeholder of the energy world to invest in India”. READ MORE |
||
| Comments invited for grid connected rooftop systems | ||
| The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) has invited comments/suggestions on Quality Control Manual for Grid Connected Rooftop Solar PV Systems and Solar PV Water Pumping Systems. In a notification that was released on February 25th, 2023, it said, "The MNRE is supporting installation of grid-connected rooftop solar systems, and for installation of Standalone Solar Pumps/solarization of existing grid-connected agriculture pumps under its schemes/ programmes." READ MORE |
||
| Discom dues come down | ||
| In a rather unexpected development, the dues of distribution companies have come down from Rs 1,367 billion in July 2022 to Rs 288 billion currently, as per the Payment Ratification And Analysis in Power procurement for bringing Transparency in Invoicing of generators (PRAAPTI) portal. Even though the main distribution reform initiatives are stuck, the new Electricity Rules and short-term pressure tactics of the government, threatening a ban on procurement from inter-state power projects as well as short-term open access markets, have borne surprise results. READ MORE |
||
| Goa CM urges for faster development of RE in state | ||
| Dr Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister of Goa, urged the departments and agencies of the state to sign an MoU with the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA) for faster development of Renewable Energy in Goa. He was addressing the "CII Goa Conference on Clean Renewable Energy" in Panaji on March 3rd, 2023. READ MORE |
||
| IREDA plans to finance RE projects in foreign currency | ||
| IREDA has plans to establish an office in Gujarat's GIFT City to finance Renewable Energy projects in foreign currency, Pradip Kumar Das, Chairman & Managing Director (CMD), Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA), said this while speaking in a panel discussion on "Scaling up Clean Energy Investment in Emerging Economies" under the aegis of G20 events at the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy on February 23rd, 2023. The office at GIFT City, Gandhinagar, will be classified as an overseas office, allowing IREDA to avoid foreign exchange hedging cost. READ MORE |
||
| Share of RE in ports to increase by 60% | ||
| Under the Green Shipping initiative, major ports have implemented and initiated various activities that would help in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the port and shipping sector. Also, this will help in achieving targets set by the government for making the maritime sector green and sustainable. Activities like shore-to-ship power, use and promotion of electrically powered port equipment, use of alternate fuels like LNG/CNG, storage and bunkering facilities for environment friendly fuels like LNG, CNG, Hydrogen, Ammonia etc, transition towards renewable sources of energy including solar, wind and tidal power have already been initiated at most of the major ports in India. READ MORE |
||
|
Reports |
||
| Karnataka, Gujarat made highest progress towards clean electricity | ||
| Karnataka and Gujarat are two states that made the maximum amount of progress in overall preparedness and commitment in the transition to clean electricity, a new joint report from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) and Ember on February 27, 2023, reveals. The report analyses 16 Indian states, which together account for 90% of the country’s annual power requirement, across four dimensions. READ MORE |
||
| DRE powered solutions improve access to electricity | ||
 One of the biggest challenges that agriculture and allied industries face is low mechanisation and the need for more reliable electricity. Approximately 119 million farmers and 34 million micro-enterprises in the Indian rural economy are constrained by unreliable electricity access (Waray, Patnaik, and Jain 2018). Decentralised renewable energy powered livelihood solutions have the potential to solve this while simultaneously reducing drudgery and time spent on labour-intensive activities. READ MORE |
||
| Is India's National Hydrogen Mission feasible? | ||
 A recent report by KPMG looks into the salient points of the National Hydrogen Mission of India, the critical considerations, evolving landscape and the way forward to have an energy-secure India. It mentions that the immediate asks from the industry are clear direction on the demand side mandates, incentives allocation and methodology under the SIGHT programme, rationalization of taxes and duties, standards and certifications, financing mechanisms, which can set the wheels in motion for business strategies. READ MORE |
||
|
Events |
||
| Webinar on rooftop solar | ||
 Auroville Consulting is conducting a webinar about "Solsavi: Economic Feasibility of Rooftop Solar for C&I Consumers in Tamil Nadu". A zoom webinar hosted in collaboration with Auroville Green Practices, aims to introduce participants to the basics of undertaking an economic feasibility assessment for rooftop solar PV in India, with a focus on Tamil Nadu, by utilizing a free web-tool specifically developed for this purpose.The assessment helps the user in making an informed investment decision on a rooftop solar system with or without battery storage.The webinar will be held onMarch 23rd, 2023, at 11 AM IST.Here's the link to register for the webinar and for more information: READ MORE |
||
| Renewable Energy Unit
Centre for Science & Environment New Delhi |
||
| Thank you for taking time to read the newsletter | ||
| For comments/suggestions please write to sapna.gopal@cseindia.org
If you do not want to receive the newsletter, click here |
||
| |
||
 |
||
| Centre for Science and Environment (CSE)
Renewable Energy Unit 41, Tughlakabad Institutional Area, New Delhi. India - 110062 Tel: +91-11 29955124, 29956110 | Fax: + 91-11 29955879 | E-mail: sapna.gopal@cseindia.org |
||