Calling for a complete exemption of the 25% safeguard duty on solar equipment, India’s Solar Power Developers Association (SPDA) says, if imposed, it will jeopardize the viability of around 27,000 MW of solar projects involving an investment of more than Rs 1 lakh crore (around US$15 billion). Other key players also speak out against the tariff plans.

Phased import tariff would fall to 20% 12 months after introduction and 15% for final six months of a proposed two-year period. Industry watchers say the cost of Indian solar energy could rise by up to 30%.

India’s solar rooftop sector continues to disappoint, with the first quarter of FY 2018-2019 achieving just 155.77 MW against the 1,000 MW EoY target.

The 750 MW Rewa solar power project, one of the world’s largest single-site solar power plants, has started operations.

ACME Solar has bagged a 600 MW solar PV project in a reverse auction conducted by the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) at a tariff of Rs 2.44 (US$0.036) per unit.

In a significant development, two major international solar coalitions – the Global Solar Council (GSC) and the International Solar Alliance (ISA) – signed an MoU for the cooperation and collaboration of solar growth in all ISA-member countries. Pranav Mehta from the GSC talks to pv magazine about the move.

If implemented, the huge tendering exercise would dwarf anything that has gone before it. Minister explains bidding will also include solar manufacturing and storage elements.

There was incredulity in some quarters as the federal government raised its renewables ambition another 22%, but the stellar performance of the past four years points to the new target being a realizable one.

India-based Central Electronics Limited (CEL) has invited an expression of interest (EoI) for the establishment of manufacturing facilities for the production of solar cells and crystalline silicon (c-si) modules (conventional/flexible) in India.

Lightsource BP has announced the completion of its first solar project in India. The 60 MWp solar farm is located in Wagdari, Maharashtra.