The Indian manufacturer has unveiled new mono-PERC modules in 120, 144, and 156 half-cell versions with claimed efficiency between 18.34% and 21.02%.

Simarpreet Singh, director at EPC firm Hartek Group, speaks to pv magazine about the impact of the Covid pandemic on India’s rooftop solar sector, technology trends shaping the market, and the outlook for 2021.

The Indian group secured the project in an auction held by the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI). The plant will sell power to the Indian grid at a price of INR 2.41 ($0.033)/kWh under a 25-year PPA.

Ankit Kapasi and Kishore Ganesan from SOFIES India are working on the Solar Waste Action Plan (SWAP) project in India, which is looking to investigate both the technical and economic feasibility of a PV module recycling system in the country. The pilot has been funded by Signify Foundation and Doen Foundation. The team at Sofies is working closely with technology partner Poseidon Solar and established the first PV recycling pilot plant in September 2020. The duo spoke to pv magazine India about their plant’s techno-commercial feasibility and the Indian eco-system’s readiness for PV module recycling.

India’s PV industry has experienced an eventful year, with record lows in both new capacity additions and tariffs.

The solar electricity price in India has dipped further to an all-time low of INR 1.99 ($0.0269)/kWh in a recently held 500 MW Gujarat auction, which is 0.5% lower than the previous record of INR 2.00/kWh set a month ago.

An analysis by India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) says improvements in PV panel designs and costs, lower financing costs and state-specific sectors, such as the location’s solar potential and certain waivers, have driven the decline in Indian solar tariffs.

The Indian rail operator aims to set up a PV project in Dahod, Gujarat. It will be awarded via a competitive bidding process. Western Railways will serve as the off-taker for a period of 25 years.

A cost decline of more than 50% by the end of the decade could make green hydrogen cost-competitive with hydrogen from fossil fuels in certain industrial applications, such as ammonia production for fertilizers.

Intra-state transmission infrastructure is the weakest link in the Indian grid. However, the introduction of competition from private players could help to drive down construction costs and promote timely completion of projects.