Newsletters - May 2014

Renewable Energy Newsletter

Date: May 2014

Dear Reader, Over the last few years the Renewable Energy unit at CSE published reports covering several aspects in the RE sector – off-grid solar, grid-connected solar power, green norms for green energy, and an EIA manual for Wind Power projects. Several analyses and case studies have also been published in our Down to Earth magazine over the years covering important happenings in the sector. We bring all of this together and our analyses in the ‘State of India’s Renewable Energy – A Citizen’s Report’. The report was released at the recently organized ‘Anil Agarwal Dialogue: Energy Access & Renewable Energy’ in New Delhi by the Union minister for new and renewable energy, Farooq Abdullah. (Purchase a copy)

The Renewable Energy team at CSE organised Anil Agarwal Dialogue to cover address the energy access and renewable energy. The sessions were attended by experts, academicians, civil society, industry and government officials. The two-day conference focused on deliberating energy access issues, including electricity for lighting and clean sources of energy for cooking, and the role of renewable energy to meet the overall unmet energy demand. The speakers at the Dialogue included B K Chaturvedi, member, Planning Commission; Satish Balram Agnihotri, secretary, Union ministry for new and renewable energy; Ajay Shankar, member secretary, National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council; Deepak Gupta, director general, National Solar Energy Federation of India; and Gireesh Pradhan, chairperson, Central Electricity Regulatory Commission.


Reporters Desk

Solar mission phase two: bids received are for triple the capacity on offer
The state-run Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has received bids for 2,170 mega-watts (MW) capacity in the first batch of projects under second phase of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM). This is almost triple the 750 MW of solar capacity on offer. The capital subsidy on offer for the projects, in the form of viability gap funding (VGF), could be the reason for receipt of high number of bids.
January 21, 2014

US to approach WTO against India’s solar mission policy, again
For the second time in less than a year, the United States will approach the World Trade Organization (WTO) with a complaint against India’s policy of domestic sourcing of solar panels for its flagship Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission. India has denied the charges made by the US and in turn wants to take on the US for its policies to promote its own domestic solar equipment manufacturers.
February 12, 2014

Solar mission phase 2: winners of bids for 750 MW announced
Private firms such as Acme, SunEdison, Azure Power have bagged most of the solar power projects in the financial bidding for 750MW capacity under batch one, phase two of Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM). The bidding took place on February 21.
February 26, 2014

Growth of renewable energy in India
Renewable energy has arrived. In matter of a decade, it has grown from a fringe player to a mainstream actor in the energy sector.
February 27, 2014

The chulha politics
Chulhas-cookstoves of poor women who collect sticks, twigs and leaves to cook meals-are today at the centre of failing international action. Women are breathing toxic emissions from stoves and these emissions are also adding to the climate change burden.
February 28, 2014

Concentrated solar power projects may get second extension
The developers of concentrated solar power (CSP) plants have asked the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) for another extension after their commissioning deadline expired on March 9. The first ten-month extension given to six of these projects, which were started in 2010, was given in May last year.
March 14, 2014

Who needs ultra mega solar power plants?
The bigger the better seems to be the mantra of Central government ministries these days. If the Union Ministry of Power can promote ultra mega thermal power projects, each with a capacity of 4,000 MW or more, why should the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) be left behind? MNRE too wants to set up four ultra mega solar power plants (UMSPP) of 4,000 MW using solar photovoltaic (PV) technology.
March 15, 2014

Renewable energy: Investments decline globally
Investment in renewable energy sector is on the decline globally, according to a report. Total investment in renewable power, excluding large hydro-electric projects, fell to $214 billion globally in 2013. This was 14 per cent lower than 2012 and 23 per cent lower than in 2011, says a recently released report titled Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment in 2014.
April 9, 2014

Solar cells: Indian manufacturers deny increase in prices
National Solar Energy Federation of India had complained to renewable energy ministry domestic manufacturers increased prices of solar cells by 15-16 per cent after the projects were awarded this year under national solar mission.
May 1, 2014

Renewable Energy unit Centre for Science & Environment New Delhi

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