India to levy 40% customs duties on imported solar modules from April 2022
The finance ministry has approved the proposal to levy the duty next year. Customs notification of the move will be issued at a later date.
Solar arrays on canals
PV installations on canals are common in India, as they provide electricity without occupying land, while reducing evaporation. However, they are still more expensive than ground-mounted PV projects.
Indian-Irish partnership to produce green hydrogen
Ireland’s Fusion Fuel Green has agreed to set up a demonstrator plant in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu to generate cost-competitive green hydrogen.
Solar surpasses wind in India
In January, India’s cumulative PV capacity reached 38.8 GW. This was enough to surpass wind and make solar the first renewable energy source in the country.
India’s installed solar capacity hits 41.6 GW
India’s cumulative installed solar capacity stood at 41.6 GW as of Dec. 31, 2020, with 1.29 GW added in the October-December period. Capacity additions in the first quarter of this year could surpass 2 GW.
Metal-perovskite-metal back contact solar cell with 4.31% efficiency
A numerical study by researchers at India’s Chitkara University has shown enhanced charge extraction in metal-perovskite-metal back-contact solar cell structure through electrostatic doping. The proposed design yielded a 59.4% improvement in power conversion efficiency over previously reported structures.
Indian panel-cleaning startup expands manufacturing capacity
Solavio Labs has already held three funding rounds to support the development of its new panel-cleaning robot.
Analyst anticipates India rebound after poorest solar figures for five years
Out of the total solar installations, 78% (2520 MW) came from utility-scale PV and 22% (719 MW) from rooftops, says a Mercom India report.
India’s Adani launches joint venture for renewables-powered data centers
AdaniConneX, the joint venture with US-based data center solutions provider EdgeConneX, will develop renewable energy-powered data centers with up to 1 GW of power demand in India over the next decade.
India could install 9.7 GW of new utility-scale solar in 2021
JMK Research expects strong growth in the large-scale solar business in India this year, due to strong growth in module and inverter shipments in the fourth quarter of 2020. Around 5.7 GW of new solar plants should be grid-connected in the first half of the year.
