In his address, Sinha spoke about the initiatives that have been proposed and are being considered by the government, including as part of the plan for the G20. He noted that greater climate investments would greatly benefit the Global North, Global South, and the planet, saying that “net zero is net positive for the Global South.” He observed that solar energy could be a third crop for Indian farmers and, saying that the time for incrementalism regarding addressing climate change is gone, he urged the members of the PE-VC industry to engage with the idea of climate investing.

He discussed that the vast opportunity presented by climate financing for the PE-VC industry: “We also, at the same time, need to do two important things from an enabling point of view – one, is we need to get global standards on what is green and what is not green and then we need to get these sectoral pathways lined up. At the same time, we need to make sure that there is enough capital flowing into these blended finance instruments so that we can really get these trillions of dollars of private sector capital flow. But we are not talking about substantially more budgetary resources. Budgetary resources from the Global North are limited and will remain limited. It’s all about mobilizing private sector capital, mobilizing effectively what you all do. So, this is going to be, I think, for the entire venture capital private equity industry the story of the next decade, which is green investing and unlocking the resources to pursue green investment. The kind of capital flows that we are going to see, I think, are really going to be much bigger than the ones that we’ve seen in the digitization, digital space.”

On climate investing being a significant way to attract global capital, Sinha said, “I am a believer in carbon trading and carbon markets, but to my mind, it’s not low-hanging fruit. I think we could put a hundred billion dollars into India and other industries where we have, enormous low-hanging fruit, but as in electric mobility, rooftop solar, solar in agricultural applications, whether it is energy conservation, we have so many opportunities where we could easily put a hundred billion dollars towards, with really high-quality commercial returns, even today.”

Climate tech is a sunrise sector in India. Despite it being a nascent and emerging sector, it is growing at a fast pace. The sector attracted ~1.2 Bn in investments between 2016 and 2020, and over the past five years, 120 climate tech startups raised over 200 funding rounds from 272 unique investors in India. In the first two quarters of 2022 alone, 70 Indian climate-focused startups raised $839 Mn over 75 transactions. Moreover, achieving India’s target of net zero emissions by 2070 can lead to the creation of ~USD 11 trillion in economic value in India. This is an unprecedented and unmissable opportunity that should be taken advantage of by Indian investors.

A veteran of Indian politics and policy-making, Shri Jayant Sinha is the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance and the BJP Lok Sabha MP from Hazaribagh, Jharkhand. As Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Finance, Sinha leads a 31-member Parliamentary panel that has oversight of the Ministries of Finance, Corporate Affairs, Statistics & Program Implementation, and the Niti Aayog. Additionally, the panel has parliamentary responsibility for the Reserve Bank of India, the Securities & Exchange Board of India, the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Board, and the Insurance and Pension regulatory authorities. Sinha is also very active in the Parliament, having opened the debate on India’s Annual Budget on multiple occasions as well as having introduced important Private Member Bills. In the 2021 Budget session, he introduced the Climate Change (Net Zero Carbon) Private Member Bill 2021.

Source : mybigplunge

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Bidders are advised to submit their queries referring to particular clauses and supporting documents that justify their proposal.

The bid document showed that NGEL intends to raise fresh debt and repay outstanding liability of Rs 8,200 crore towards NTPC by March 31, 2023 along with applicable interest cost.

Also, additional funds to the tune of Rs 800 crore would be required for additional debt liability and for balance capex payments of projects which are yet to achieve full commercial operations, it stated.

Thus, NGEL has invited offer for rupee term loan of up to Rs 9,000 crore, it said.

The minimum amount of loan offered by banks/FIs (financial institutions) shall be Rs 1,000 crore and in multiples of Rs 500 crore thereafter, it stated.

The last date for submission of bids is March 6, 2023.

NTPC had incorporated NGEL in April 2022 for consolidating its renewable energy businesses and aggressively pursue its green/ sustainable energy venture.

Source : PTI

➢ Installed capacity: 65 MW
➢ Wind turbines: 17 Vestas V126 with a unit capacity of 3.8 MW
➢ Equivalent to the annual energy needs of 60,000 French residents
➢ Winning project of the CRE (Commission de Régulation de l’Énergie) call for tenders in period 7 (November 2020).

Culmination of a long development process

“The Moulins du Lohan wind farm project reflects the challenges of deploying renewable energy in France,” said Nicolas Wolff, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Europe, at Boralex. “At each stage of development, we were able to demonstrate that the project was sound, yet it still took more than 10 years to see it through to fruition. There is a need to simplify the procedures governing the development of renewable energy if the objectives of France’s multi-year energy program, the PPE, are to be met. Renewables are key to decarbonizing our society. That principle is central to the new law aimed at accelerating the deployment of renewable energies, for which we have high expectations.”

Territorial cooperation and drive

Brittany currently imports 85% of its electricity, half of which is fossil-fuel-based. The region also has the second-largest wind energy resource in France. It has indicated its willingness to help address the local energy transition, including in its adoption of the 2010 Pacte Électrique Breton. The Moulins du Lohan wind farm brings new green energy production capacity to a region that needs it. It was built in 17 months, thanks to close cooperation among local elected officials, government services and RTE, France’s transmission system operator.

“Once authorization is granted, renewable energies have the advantage of rapid deployment, meaning that they can play a strategic role in the implementation of new green, competitive sources of energy production. We were able to install the Moulins du Lohan wind farm in record time in the midst of an energy crisis and for that my thanks go to the Boralex teams and other stakeholders, especially RTE, who all joined forces to get this asset installed,” added Nicolas Wolff.

“As an industrial operator in the energy transition, RTE is optimizing and transforming its network to connect electricity production facilities. Faced with the tensions encountered this winter regarding France’s electricity supply, the mobilization of RTE teams has enabled the connection of the 65 MW Moulins du Lohan wind
2
farm. This effort has made it possible to receive the first electrons produced by the wind turbines on the grid by the end of 2022,” said Carole Pitou Agudo, Regional Delegate for RTE West.
A site fitted to its surroundings

The wind farm was developed with local environmental and landscape sensitivities in mind. Lanouée Forest, a forestry site that hosts the wind farm, covers almost 4,000 ha. The wind farm occupies 0.3% of that area, 11.4 ha, which will be replanted with deciduous species covering an area of 12.25 ha. Project construction was adapted and carried out in line with an environmental strategy aimed at maintaining the forest’s biological functions, respecting its multiple uses, and implementing measures that add value to the forest ecosystem. The same strategy will continue to apply throughout the wind farm’s operating phase.

Boralex passes the 3000 MW milestone in installed capacity

Getting this wind power site operational is all the more important as it marks Boralex’s surpassing of 3 GW installed capacity worldwide. “The achievement of this significant milestone and our accelerated growth confirm we are on track to meet our development objectives for 2025. I thank and commend the work of our teams, all of whom without exception have played a role in this accomplishment. Essential to our success has been the trust and cooperation shown by our partners, our investors, and the communities that host our projects,” said Patrick Decostre, President and Chief Executive Officer, Boralex.

About Boralex

At Boralex, we have been providing affordable renewable energy accessible to everyone for over 30 years. As a leader in the Canadian market and France’s largest independent producer of onshore wind power, we also have facilities in the United States and development projects in the United Kingdom. Over the past five years, our installed capacity has more than doubled to 2.5 GW. We are developing a portfolio of more than 3 GW in wind and solar projects and nearly 200 MW in storage projects, guided by our values and our corporate social responsibility (CSR) approach. Through profitable and sustainable growth, Boralex is actively participating in the fight against global warming. Thanks to our fearlessness, our discipline, our expertise and our diversity, we continue to be an industry leader. Boralex’s shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol BLX.

Mohammad Abunayyan, Chairman of ACWA Power, said that with the advancements and accomplishments of Saudi Vision 2030, ACWA Power intended to work with like-minded Chinese enterprises to push for global collaboration. As Sineng is a global leading PV inverter supplier, we believe that the potential for our tie-up is enormous, with bright prospects for economic growth and tremendous development opportunities. ACWA Power hopes to team up with Sineng, focusing on the photovoltaics and ESS sectors while exploring new business models in hydrogen energy.

Qiang Wu, chairman of Sineng Electric, expressed his sincere gratitude to ACWA Power for its recognition and support, and introduced in detail about the development history, advantages, and global business of Sineng. He stated that the two companies have a profound friendship and a solid foundation for partnership. In the future, Sineng will increase its investments in the market of Saudi Arabia, conduct more localization research, and continue delivering better services.

Sineng Electric has been concentrating on power electronics since its establishment to offer a wide range of competitive high-quality solutions. ACWA Power, as a developer, investor, and operator of a portfolio of power generation, desalinated water production plants, and green hydrogen, is one of Sineng’s closest allies. Given the already-robust and growing partnership between China and Saudi Arabia, Sineng looks forward to deepening ties and strengthening strategic relations with ACWA power, continuously expanding the scope of cooperation, and jointly promoting the application of renewable energy to help build a green Saudi Arabia and green Middle East, and create a blueprint for carbon neutrality.

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The intent of this MOU is to jointly study and evaluate potential projects with respect to collaboration opportunities across the green hydrogen and ammonia value chain, including production, handling, transportation, distribution, and power generation.

The MoU allows IHI to participate as an investor or take offtake in one or more project of ACME in Oman, India, USA or Egypt. Both the Companies will also explore opportunities to jointly offer a complete integrated solution to customers from green ammonia supply, bunkering and products or solutions for various applications.

Mr. Manoj K Upadhyay, Founder & Chairman, ACME Group said, “I would like to thank IHI for their commitment to develop renewable projects with us. We will together explore opportunities across the green hydrogen and ammonia value chain, including production, handling, transportation, distribution, and power generation.”

Mr. Kenji Konno, Country Head Japan, ACME Group said, “This collaboration will strengthen ACME Group’s innovative problem-solving approach by leveraging IHI’s technologies in ammonia value chain. We hope that this collaboration will pave the way to achieve our early global implementation of green and sustainable energy transition.”

Mr. Jun Kobayashi, Executive Officer, IHI Corporation said, “ACME and IHI have a shared vision to develop innovative solutions to produce and supply clean energy to users around the world. With ACME’s extensive experience in developing renewable energy projects and solutions, IHI’s understanding of the green ammonia value chain, and both companies’ passion and willingness to proactively tackle societal challenges and be at the forefront of infrastructure development, we possess the capability to lead the transition to carbon-free ammonia usage across a wide variety of industries.”

About ACME Group:

ACME Group ( www.acme.in ) set up in 2003, is a pioneer in cleantech sectors such as solar, green hydrogen & ammonia and sustainable green protein development. The Company is one of the leading solar power developers in India with project across 12 States and capex invested and committed of nearly $8 billion.In the past, ACME has undertaken transactions with Actis, Petronas, NIIF, Renew, BAML, Brookfield, Piramal, APG and Allianz, among others.

About IHI:

IHI Corporation is a comprehensive heavy-industry manufacturer working to create value for customers in four main areas—Resource, Energy and Environment; Social Infrastructure and Offshore Facilities; Industrial Systems and General-purpose Machinery; and Aero Engine, Space and Defense. IHI is deeply committed to contributing to society through technology, combining diverse engineering capabilities to meet expanding global needs for energy, urbanization and industrialization, and transportation efficiency.

Invitations for the meeting will be sent out on 26.02.2023. Prospective bidders interested to participate in the meeting may intimate the names and email ids of respective participants, by mailing to swapnil.gandhi@seci.co.in and jayansh.gaur@seci.co.in, latest by 25.02.2023.

SECI may limit the number of participants from each organization to 2 (two), in view of limitations on the Teams platform.

This award proves that Sunpure full scenario robotic cleaning solution is widely trusted by the industry. With keen industry insight and technical innovation, Sunpure has accumulated rich experience in PV module cleaning field, and the products have been delivered in 12 countries and regions such as the Middle East and India, with application scenarios including deserts, mountains, hills, water, roofs, etc., covering nearly 3GW of installed capacity.

Sunpure intelligent PV cleaning robot helps power plants to significantly reduce the pressure of O&M, and lower the LCOE, thus, is gradually becoming the essential equipment for PV power plants.

The summit and awards ceremony has been a flagship event and a grand gathering in the solar PV industry in China for the past decade. Speakers and participants include influential experts，leaders and industry players from political and business sides. With this honor, Sunpure will continue to innovate technology, accelerate product upgrading and iteration, and further support the sustainable development of PV power plant customers.

• The venture will provide a strong decarbonisation impact and will actively contribute to Poland’s long-term energy resources

Renewable Power Capital (RPC) has announced its entry into the onshore wind market in Poland, partnering with Tundra Advisory (Tundra) to develop a pipeline of up to 1 GW of onshore wind projects across the country. The partners have already identified over 500 MW of potential sites.

The deal is subject to regulatory approval in Poland.

Tundra brings deep capabilities to the partnership, having developed renewables in Poland for over 15 years. The Tundra principals have undertaken some of the largest renewable projects in the country. Tundra is owned by Taiga Mistral, a leading sustainability focused investment management firm, headquartered in Madrid. Renewable Power Capital will provide a highly flexible source of long-term funding to maximise value and scale.

Poland has the potential to be one of Europe’s fastest-growing onshore wind markets. The Polish Government currently expects around 25 GW of renewable electricity generation capacity by 2030, a doubling from 2020 levels. In addition, Poland’s energy strategy to 2040 is expected to be updated with ambitious renewable targets. Currently over two-thirds of Poland’s electricity comes from coal, distinguishing its market from other gas-heavy European grids and giving strong decarbonisation potential.

The deal is RPC’s first in the CEE Region, and adds to RPC’s wind portfolio based in Finland and Sweden, as well as a 3 GW solar pipeline in Spain, and a 1 GW battery storage venture in Great Britain.

Mariano Berges, Chief Commercial and Technical Officer at RPC, commented: “The European energy market is undergoing significant changes and renewables will play an increasingly important role. Renewable Power Capital aims to be part of the solution. Poland has the potential to be one of Europe’s largest onshore wind markets, and we are pleased to be working with the very experienced team at Tundra to unlock this.”

“We are pleased to enter into a strong strategic partnership with an international and reputable investor such as RPC. The joint venture will maximise the capabilities of both parties, enabling us to achieve our ambition to become a leading developer of wind energy in Poland”, says Jaime Blas, CEO of Tundra and Taiga.

Tundra was supported and advised by Perez Llorca (Spain) and DZP (Poland) in the transaction. RPC was advised by Herbert Smith Freehills (Spain) and Dentons (Poland).

Renewable Power Capital

Renewable Power Capital is a pan-European renewable energy investment platform established in 2020, backed by CPP Investments. Renewable Power Capital is registered in the United Kingdom, with headquarters in London. We invest in the development, construction, and long-term ownership of solar, onshore wind and battery storage projects, enabling the energy transition and driving stable long-term, risk-adjusted returns. Our flexible mandate allows us to structure investments that recognize the changing market dynamics in Europe and to develop innovative solutions for managing development, construction, and merchant investments.

Tundra Advisory (Taiga Mistral Group)

Tundra Advisory is a subsidiary of Taiga Mistral in Poland, with a team of 18 people and proven track record in the renewable energy market, having developed, financed and built more than 300 MW of onshore wind and solar PV in Poland. Taiga Mistral is an impact investment management company, focused on energy transition. We invest in electricity distribution (last mile access), energy supply, renewable energy generation (solar PV, onshore wind and small hydro) and energy transition businesses (EV, self consumption and batteries). Our goal is to create value for investors focusing in a carbon neutral future and sustainability as long term principles. Since 2006 Taiga Mistral has developed, financed, built and operated more than 5 GW of renewable energy assets in different markets and technologies, including onshore wind, small hydro and solar PV. Currently, Taiga Mistral manages more than 1 GW of generation assets. We have a team of more than 30 people in Spain and 18 people in Poland.

The event, held on 11 February, saw Jean-Eric Vergne of DS PENSKE emerge victorious.

However, the significance of the event transcended beyond the racetrack, as it highlighted India’s leadership in energy transition and decarbonisation, according to an official statement.

To minimize the carbon footprint of the event, Greenko Hyderabad E-Prix incorporated several sustainability initiatives. As part of the green initiatives and awareness of decarbonisation, the Nissan Formula E Team drivers, Sacha Fenestraz and Norman Nato visited Greenko’s Integrated Renewable Energy Project (IREP) in Kurnool.

The Greenko Group has a massive renewable energy project in Kurnool with solar, wind, and pumped storage capacities, which also provided energy to power the racing event.

Greenko has an installed renewable energy capacity of 7.5 GW and a presence in 15 states in India.

The company is committed to developing 100+ GWh connected Digitized Cloud Storage across India by 2027 through Intelligent Renewable Energy Storage Platforms. To enable deeper decarbonization, Greenko is also entering the green molecule sector.

Source: livemint

As countries around the world work to meet aggressive decarbonization goals, energy from wind and solar sources are a beacon of hope. Carbon-free, inherently abundant, and increasingly affordable, these renewable sources remain a vital pathway to achieving global net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

McKinsey estimates that between 2021 and 2030, planned global electricity generation from committed solar and on- and offshore wind projects (excluding China) will more than triple, from 125 gigawatts to 459 gigawatts (Exhibit 1).1 This could further accelerate as countries seek to make renewables part of their strategy to address the current geopolitical energy crisis. The European Commission’s recent REPowerEU proposal, for instance, seeks to boost the continent’s share of electricity generation from renewables to 45 percent by 2030 (up from a target of 40 percent).2 In the United States, the Inflation Reduction Act, which provides a comprehensive package of financial incentives for renewable-energy development, could also stimulate additional wind and solar capacity.

Such rapid growth requires stable markets and resilient supply chains. In recent years, renewables markets have experienced high volatility because of fluctuations in the supply and prices of raw materials, as well as frequent changes in regulations (Exhibit 2). This lack of continuity has made long-term capacity planning and the practice of securing favorable prices for large quantities of raw materials very difficult.

In Japan, for instance, the offshore wind market is currently on pause as the Japanese government revises its rules for auctions of offshore wind permits. Additionally, Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas canceled plans to build a turbine production facility in Nagasaki after it failed to receive orders from the winners of a previous offshore wind auction.4

Prices for the materials needed to create wind turbines and solar panels have also experienced significant volatility. The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the extent to which global supply chains are vulnerable to local and regional disturbances. Consider the supply of polysilicon, the starting material for wafers in solar cells. In China, which produces more than 79 percent of the world’s supply (as of 2020), COVID-19 lockdowns, factory accidents, and floods have sharply reduced availability. Between 2020 and June 2022, the price of polysilicon rose by 350 percent.5

Cost inflation has also affected commodities needed for wind turbines. Due to the combination of rising global demand for wind energy and pandemic-related supply issues, the prices of steel, copper, and aluminum have experienced two- and threefold increases over the past few years. Earlier this year, disruptions due to the Ukraine crisis exacerbated the problem. Because price hedging in raw-materials purchasing is not a widespread practice, the wind industry has felt the squeeze. Turbines are 40–50 percent steel (used for towers, structure, and mechanical components), copper (generator winding and cables), and aluminum (nacelle). Leading turbine manufacturers and cable suppliers have tried to pass the increased costs of these materials on to their customers.6 However, several have issued profitability warnings, in part because some of their long-term contracts with customers contain fixed prices that do not allow adjustments.

Renewables developers and OEMs will have to tackle several challenges in order to mitigate risk and build a more resilient supply chain.

Renewables developers face three core supply chain challenges

In today’s volatile conditions, renewables developers and OEMs will have to tackle several challenges in order to mitigate risk and build a more resilient supply chain.

Securing access to raw materials and rare earth metals at stable prices

The commodity squeeze challenging the wind and solar industries will only get tighter as demand increases from global decarbonization efforts. The rare earth metals neodymium and praseodymium, for example, are needed as high-power magnets in both wind turbine generators and electric vehicles. Yet McKinsey estimates that these materials will face a 50–60 percent shortage in 2030.7 Recycling will play an increasingly important role but is expected to meet only 10 percent of total demand.

Green steel offers another example. Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) requirements are driving up wind and solar industries’ interest in steel produced with minimal or zero CO2. But ramping up production of steel with hydrogen instead of fossil fuels faces multiple hurdles. The construction of new large-scale facilities often involves lengthy efforts to obtain subsidies and to design and develop unique equipment. In parallel, steel producers have to install capital-intensive electrolyzers or secure hydrogen supply through (long-term) contracts. On top of that, significant infrastructure developments are required, such as the construction of a network of pipelines to transport large quantities of H2.

Scaling manufacturing capacity to meet regional demand

The growing demand for renewables has been pushing up factory utilization rates in the industry. Unless additional capacity is added, this can make supply chains more vulnerable to unplanned events. The COVID-19 lockdowns, factory accidents, and floods that affected poly-silicon manufacturing, for instance, have helped increase capacity utilization rates to 100–110 percent since 2020, causing shortages and price hikes.8 Across renewables supply chains, extensive investments are needed to grow capacities in line with demand and avoid large-scale imbalances between supply and demand.

In addition, the dominance of one region and the relatively small number of suppliers weaken the resilience of renewables supply chains. In the case of polysilicon, 79 percent of global capacity is located in China, and half of that is concentrated in the province of Xinjiang, making wind and solar players across the globe especially vulnerable to disruptions in this area. Additionally, the top ten suppliers of polysilicon, only three of which are outside China, have a total capacity of more than 90 percent of global capacity (Exhibit 3). The fact that many of these suppliers have announced capacity expansions in recent years will likely only boost their share of the market.

Building up logistics and installation capacities

The installation of new wind and solar capacity is going to require a lot of talent and a lot of machinery. Yet developers often face a shortage of both. Over the past two years in the United States, for example, qualified engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) capacity for large-scale, one-gigawatt-plus solar plants has faced a gap of about one to two gigawatts per year.9 Unable to hire enough talent, EPC contractors have been bidding selectively on fewer projects, which has eroded competition and increased prices for developers. Instead of the usual six to eight bids for projects, many developers are receiving one at a higher price. EPC contractors have grown their margins, while solar developers have had theirs squeezed.

Another area of limited capacity is the vessels used to install offshore wind turbines. Although the wind turbines for large offshore projects have gotten bigger, a limited number of vessels have been upgraded for the task of transporting and installing them. In 2020, the Global Wind Energy Council identified a total of only nine large-scale (more than ten megawatts) turbine vessels.10 The companies in a position to add this urgently needed capacity are limited to a small circle of established players. Only three companies plan to own more than three heavy lift and jack-up installation vessels.

Considering that the construction of one vessel takes several years, and vessel capacity will likely need to double to build twice as many offshore wind projects in 2025, this poses a real threat to the 20 offshore wind farms, representing a capacity of 42 gigawatts, that have already passed the final investment decision stage.12

How to make sourcing a strategic priority

In order to build resilient supply chains and thus achieve ambitious expansion targets, sourcing needs to become a strategic priority. While there are a wide range of approaches and solutions, we see three key success areas.

Getting creative with vertical integration

Long-term partnerships, targeted acquisitions, and shareholder agreements can be critical levers for securing raw materials and decreasing the price volatility of key components. The electric-vehicle-battery industry offers a potential road map. Tesla forged a parts-purchasing agreement with the Chinese neodymium magnets manufacturer JL MAG in 2020 and struck a long-term agreement to buy nickel from the Brazilian mining company Vale SA earlier this year. The company has also announced deals with mining companies in China and the Democratic Republic of the Congo for cobalt and lithium. These arrangements promise to give Tesla a steady supply of some of the highest-demand raw materials needed for electric vehicles. At the Financial Times’ 2022 Future of the Car conference, CEO Elon Musk summarized the strategy: “It’s not that we wish to buy mining companies, but if that’s the only way to accelerate the transition, then we will do that.”13

In the renewables sector, Ørsted, the multinational Danish power company and the world’s largest developer of offshore wind, has pioneered a similar approach. In a strategic partnership with German steel producer Salzgitter AG, announced in early 2022, Ørsted will supply the hydrogen and zero-carbon electricity (from wind) that Salzgitter needs to produce green steel, which Ørsted will then purchase for its wind turbines. In addition, scrap from decommissioned Ørsted wind turbines will cycle back to Salzgitter’s steel production process. This arrangement not only reduces resource consumption and promotes circular-economy principles but also reduces the need for green-steel production capacity, thus helping to ease pressure on the supply chain.14

Long-term partnerships, targeted acquisitions, and shareholder agreements can be critical levers for securing raw materials and decreasing the price volatility of key components.

Partnering with suppliers to boost manufacturing capacity

Given the vulnerability of global supply chains, renewables developers may benefit from partnering with their suppliers to build additional manufacturing capacity. This could include the insourcing of critical components, the expansion of manufacturing facilities, or the creation of new facilities.

In many countries, governments are eager to help in this effort and have created policies and incentives that seek to promote clean-energy manufacturing within their borders. For example, in 2022, Italian utility Enel pursued both these options in an effort to support the growth of the national renewable-energy supply chain in Italy. The company announced a 15-fold increase in its production of bifacial photovoltaic modules at its factory in Sicily, from 200 megawatts per year to three gigawatts per year by 2024.15 In addition, Enel entered into a strategic partnership in 2022 with engineering firm Comal to build a factory for the production of solar trackers, which direct solar panels toward the sun.

This facility will support up to one gigawatt per year of photovoltaic-energy production with all-Italian tracking systems.16 Similarly, in the United States, the Inflation Reduction Act seeks to support the growth of a national renewable-energy supply chain. It allocates an estimated $30 billion in production tax credits to accelerate US manufacturing of solar panels, wind turbines, batteries, and critical-minerals processing.

Making risk management a common practice

Tools such as price hedging and long-term agreements that secure the cost of raw materials such as steel can significantly mitigate the effects of sharp price increases. The fact that wind and solar suppliers were caught off guard by the recent increases indicates that risk management capabilities are not sufficiently developed among renewable-energy OEMs. Developers should work with their suppliers to jointly invest in upskilling employees in risk identification and price hedging for raw-material purchases. This will be particularly important when suppliers are committing to long-term offtake agreements. Risks and appropriate countermeasures will need to be integrated into the design of these partnerships.

For developers, early and proactive risk identification should become an important part of the evaluation and management of suppliers, with consideration given to future capacity constraints, price volatility, and access to raw materials and rare earths even before a supplier is awarded with a contract. In particular, access to rare earths could be established as a bidding criterion. Among OEMs, initiatives to secure access to raw materials are a point of differentiation rather than an industry-wide standard.

Source: mckinsey

India-based industrial biotechnology company Praj Industries has spent decades making innovation and growth fundamental to its business while also being mindful of how its actions affect the planet, people, and local communities. Consequently, the organization has been able to scale up in numerous locations worldwide. In an interview with McKinsey’s Pablo Hernandez, Praj Industries founder and executive chairman Dr. Pramod Chaudhari discusses what he’s learned along the way, how to build custom solutions, and how the next generation of start-ups can approach sustainability.

Key insight #1: Maintain a balanced view of people, profit, and the planet. Emphasis on one area should not come at the expense of another.

Pablo Hernandez: Sustainable growth is clearly a priority for you at Praj Industries. How do you balance that vision while also trying to run a profitable business?

Dr. Pramod Chaudhari: Entrepreneurs can adopt green practices in their business to help create new opportunities. For example, if they come from a manufacturing background, they could build models that show how green manufacturing approaches, such as using renewable power, can minimize their carbon footprint. By embedding these ideas in the company from the beginning, entrepreneurs can strike a good balance among people, planet, and profit.

Unfortunately, right now the people element is suffering across many companies, especially as digital technology evolves. Automation, for instance, is having a big impact on employment as its use increases. At the same time, technology is also responsible for a lot of new professions and businesses emerging worldwide. The question is, how can we get people interested in learning how to embrace these new opportunities and strike the right balance?

Key insight #2: Make passion, purpose, and innovation through failure foundational to your business.

Pablo Hernandez: What are your most significant insights from running such a large company? Is there anything you would recommend to other start-up leaders?

Dr. Pramod Chaudhari: You must base your business on purpose and passion, and we can all learn how to do this better. After that, finding the right people and motivating them to get on board is important. When you have the right mix of passion and purpose and the right people, you can get them to do extraordinary things because they will work hard. Of course, leaders must also empower their teams and give them freedom to explore lots of opportunities for innovation—this is often forgotten.

Praj Industries is no longer a small garage company, but we make sure that we have a strong R&D focus, which helps us discover, introduce, and commercialize new technologies. By finding the right mix of innovation, people, purpose, and passion, we can grow even faster than normal businesses. Ultimately, innovation should minimize cost, create easier access to customer intelligence, and deliver best-in-class technology.

Pablo Hernandez: In many of your writings, you emphasize the relevance of finding the right people. What characteristics do you look for in the people you work with? What attributes do you value most?

Dr. Pramod Chaudhari: Conventional attributes such as being hardworking and sincere and having dignity are the most important, especially for people who want to build a career in our organization. They must also not be afraid to fail. Failures are encouraged, as long as we learn from them, because if people can explore more ideas and approaches, then we can innovate quickly.

We also value people with intrapreneurship qualities who have the mindset of an entrepreneur, meaning they embrace risk and are results-oriented and cost-conscious. A person with unique viewpoints and imagination can also help us find solutions that are effective and efficient. But it’s affordability and innovation that play important roles in accelerating the commercialization of technology.

Key insight #3: Develop a deep understanding of local environments, talent, and culture so you can build custom solutions.

Pablo Hernandez: Your company has a footprint in more than 100 countries across five continents. How did you manage this? How would you advise other entrepreneurs who want to scale their businesses?

Dr. Pramod Chaudhari: In our business, biotechnology is influenced by the local environmental conditions. We come from a tropical climate, and that’s the setting in which we gained experience, built on it, and found success. It wasn’t until later that it became important to offer bespoke solutions.

Finding custom solutions requires developing an understanding of the subject and the physical area in which you’re working. When our intrapreneurs go outside India, they look for local knowledge. They need to know about the available logistics, the culture, and the economy of an area so they can adapt to those conditions. Therefore, we created a process to understand the local economy and costs of materials to adapt our products accordingly. We need to know how much this would cost in Africa, in India, in Southeast Asia. Taking the time to do this work shows customers that we are flexible, and it helps us arrive at a solution that is more suitable to a specific location.

Pablo Hernandez: Finding the right people to fuel growth in certain markets is challenging. What is your approach?

Dr. Pramod Chaudhari: You cannot do everything centrally. You need to have the right blend of decentralization and centralization, which is why we sometimes rely on the skills of people in certain markets to help develop our products. For example, in Brazil, the locals’ expertise in manufacturing fabricators was similar to or better than what we could offer in India. Our business approach has always been to think “glocal”—that is, think global and act local.

Key insight #4: Cultivate an optimistic mindset. This will help you come back from failure and find new solutions quickly.

Pablo Hernandez: During the many years of running and scaling up your business, you faced challenges and even some failures. What did you learn from these experiences?

Dr. Pramod Chaudhari: Optimism is of paramount importance for entrepreneurs. I consider myself lucky in that regard because I am a robust optimist. When you’re optimistic, it’s easier to be innovative and find creative solutions. Of course, the focus should always be on the customer and how quickly and effectively we can satisfy their needs.

At one point, most of my company’s business depended on countries in Southeast Asia. Then, in the late 1990s, those countries went through a currency crisis. We had a strategy mismatch with existing products in new markets and new products in existing markets, so our company suffered. But we learned lessons from that situation, and I changed how we do business. Running a company is an endurance game and a team sport.

Pablo Hernandez: How do you manage to push ahead in these challenging and complex moments?

Dr. Pramod Chaudhari: We focused on innovation, which helped us explore manufacturing in a different way, and we also began exploring new markets. Our focus shifted from Southeast Asia to South America, and then we ended up in Colombia. We saw that the country was importing oil and exporting sugar, so we said, “Why don’t you use this extra sugar to make fuel?” By working with local authorities and developer trade organizations, we helped them create their own ethanol-blended fuel. From 2003 to 2007, several products in that market reached almost 100 percent market share, which was huge.

Because of our success in Colombia, we knew we could go to new markets and find the right technology solution to solve their specific problems. So from there we started working in developed countries such as Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

This is just a small example, but with optimism, resilience, and an open mind for solutions, you can transform every failure into a lesson and seize the opportunity to grow successfully.

Key insight #5: Learn how to anticipate problems so you can solve them swiftly; multiple solutions for the same challenge may exist.

Pablo Hernandez: With the growth of your company, you’ve been able to do a lot of new-business building, R&D, and product development. How do you balance creating new things while focusing on the performance of the current business?

Dr. Pramod Chaudhari: You need to train your team to “change the wheel while the car is running.” You also need to get a feel for what the upcoming problems or challenges are so that you can be proactive about finding solutions. These practices can help you face challenges more confidently and comfortably. We have a strong conviction that our future growth drivers stem from R&D; hence, maintaining a healthy innovation pipeline is critical to business growth. In the hustle and bustle of running a business, we have always kept a steady eye on our R&D performance.

Pablo Hernandez: Today, being “green” is a priority globally, with many initiatives running in parallel. If you were to start a new business, where would you start?

Dr. Pramod Chaudhari: Genetically modified crops don’t exist in most markets, except in the United States, though they are starting to take off in Europe. I think there should be a greater global effort to create affordable, scalable, and higher-quality genetically modified products that have a more robust life cycle. This way, we can use the same area of land but have more value-add products per each square meter of land. These improved crops may need less water, may not require pesticides, and could produce more and better yields.

In this and other areas, biology plays a very important role. We cannot stop the growth of our population, but we can find ways and means to support [people] while not allowing the planet to suffer. Bio-based solutions can address both of these needs.

Whenever I get the chance, I like to create awareness about climate action and solutions because each challenge brings the potential opportunity to find multiple solutions for the same problem. If everyone looks at things this way, then you can help yourself and others prosper.

Source: mckinsey

Intimation of the tender Annulment: Tender for Design, Supply, Installation & Commissioning with 5 Years Warranty Support of Controller Based Wi-Fi Network at SECI, New Delhi through GeM

Employer: Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI), New Delhi, India.

Tender Title: Tender for Design, Supply, Installation & Commissioning with 5 Years Warranty Support of Controller Based Wi-Fi Network at SECI, New Delhi through GeM

Tender No. on GeM portal: GEM/2022/B/2674510

Tender ID on SECI website: SECI000089

Tender ID On CPPP: 2022_SECI_683615_1

The subject tender floated on GeM, CPPP portal and SECI Website is hereby annulled & no separate notification will be issued in this regard.

This is for information to the bidders who have participated in the subject tender.

Operating Highlights:

• As of December 31, 2022, the Company’s portfolio consisted of 13.4 GWs, a 30.2% increase year on year, of which 7.8 GWs are commissioned and 5.6 GWs are committed. Approximately ~0.3 GW of Purchase Power Agreements (“PPAs”) were signed in the quarter and only ~1% of the total portfolio awaits PPAs/contracts.
• Total Income (or total revenue) for Q3 FY23 was INR 16,077 million (US$ 194 million), an increase of 19.4% over Q3 FY22. Adjusted EBITDA(2) for Q3 FY23 was INR 11,628 million (US$ 141 million), an increase of 10.2% over Q3 FY22. Net loss for Q3 FY23 was INR 4,013 million (US$ 49 million) compared to a net loss of INR 6,384 million (US$ 77 million) for Q3 FY22. Cash Flow to equity(2) (“CFe”) for Q3 FY23 was INR 2,682 million (US$ 32 million), a decrease of 47.3% over Q3 FY22.
• Total Income (or total revenue) for the first nine months of FY23 was INR 63,493 million (US$ 768 million), an increase of 23.1% over nine months of FY22. Adjusted EBITDA(2) for the first nine months of FY23 was INR 49,995 million (US$ 604 million), an increase of 17.8% over nine months of FY22. Net lossfor the first nine months of FY23 wasINR 5,103 million (US$ 62 million) compared to a net loss of INR 12,573 million (US$ 152 million) for nine months of FY22. Cash Flow to equity(2) (“CFe”) for the first nine months of FY23 was INR 19,810 million (US$ 239 million), an increase of 10.6% over the first nine months of FY22.
• Days Sales Outstanding (“DSO”) ended Q3 FY23 at 178 days, a 78 day improvement year on year.
  On the back of clear arrangements for future payment schedules agreed with multiple State
  Discoms, DSOs are on track for a substantial improvement over the remainder of the year.

FY 23 Guidance

The Company’s Adjusted EBITDA and Cash Flow to Equity guidance for FY23 is subject to normal weather for the remainder of the year.

Form 6-K containing financial statements and discussion of financial results has been filed with the SEC and can be accessed at www.sec.gov

About ReNew

ReNew is the leading decarbonisation solutions company listed on Nasdaq (Nasdaq: RNW, RNWWW). ReNew’s clean energy portfolio of ~13.4 GWs on a gross basis as of December 31, 2022, is one of the largest globally. In addition to being a major independent power producer in India, we provide end-to-end solutions in a just and inclusive manner in the areas of clean energy, green hydrogen, value-added energy offerings through digitalisation, storage, and carbon markets that increasingly are integral to addressing climate change.

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• Solar manufacturer SolarSpace has announced a long-term partnership with the insurance company, Ping An (Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China Ltd.) and Ariel Re syndicate 1910 at Lloyd’s of London (the reinsurer), to provide 25-30 years of insurance coverage for the power output warranty of the module products of SolarSpace.

Solar manufacturer SolarSpace has announced a long-term partnership with the insurance company, Ping An (Ping AnInsurance (Group) Company of China Ltd.) and Ariel Re syndicate 1910 at Lloyd’s of London (the reinsurer), to provide 25-30 years of insurance coverage for the power output warranty of the module products of SolarSpace.

Underwriter from Ariel Re syndicate 1910 commented, “SolarSpace’s high-efficiency PV module products have undergonerigorous underwriting process to be eligible for the insurance. We believe this cooperation not only improves the confidence of customers about the quality and durability of PV products but also strengthen the facilitation of financing and risk management of PV projects.”

“With the joint efforts of all the employees, SolarSpace has the opportunity to cooperate with Ping An and Ariel Re. The collaboration indicates that the quality and performance of our products have beenhighly recognized. Furthermore, SolarSpace will put more emphasis on offering reliable and efficient solar products and solutions to customers. Through this insurance agreement with Ping An and Ariel Re, it achieves our commitment to provide unparalleled protection to our valued customers.” Said James Hu, Vice President of SolarSpace.

Currently, SolarSpace has reached 35 GW cell capacity and 6 GW module capacity. The goal of 60 GW cellcapacity and 6 GW module capacity could be reached by the end of 2023. It is expected that SolarSpace will increase its market share significantly and become more competitive in the market due to this insurance agreement.

LONGi as a listed company will be raising RMB 2 billion and transfer it to LONGi-LERRI, which will increase the capital of Xixian LERRI. This amount will be counted as an additional paid-in capital for LONGi-LERRI and Xixian LERRI. Neither LONGi-LERRI nor Xixian LERRI will see a change in their respective figures for registered capital after the capital injection. LONGi said that the capital injection will fund the efforts of its wholly-owned subsidiary in the development of the related project.

Through Xixian LERRI, LONGi is currently setting up an annual production capacity of 29GW for high-efficiency mono-Si. Xixian LERRI’s project has incorporated the in-housed developed HPBC technology. In terms of scheduling, Xixian LERRI is expected to complete the project and put it into full-scale operation by September 2023.

Previously, Xixian LERRI set the scale of the project at 15GW per year. However, the scale of the project was adjusted up to 29GW in January this year following the confirmation that Xixian LERRI will be deploying the HPBC technology. This expansion schedule aligns with LONGi’ operating principal that a new wave of capacity-building activities comes after securing a leadership in technological advances.

According LONGi, the in-house developed HPBC technology has reached maturity and is ready for commercialization. Furthermore, mass-produced HPBC cells are now able to deliver a conversion efficiency rate of more than 25%. The company believes the HPBC technology can be applied to rooftop PV systems, ground-mounted utility-scale PV systems, and PV products for many other settings.

The competition in the PV market continues to intensify, and several next-generation cell technologies are up for wider adoption or even poised to overtake rival solutions. Individually, the major cell suppliers and integrated manufacturers have banked on certain technologies, such as the more familiar N-type cells and TOPCon cells. In the case of HPBC, it has the advantage of having a front side without busbars. LONGi touts that HPBC cells are more stable and reliable compared with other N-type cells.

Industry analysts have pointed out that there are significant differences among crystalline silicon (c-Si) PV cells with respect to raw materials, design, and manufacturing process technologies. Phosphorus-doped N-type cells currently have notable advantages over boron-doped P-type cells in terms of conversion efficiency and power output. Nevertheless, analysts have also emphasized that no cell technology has a dominant market share at this moment. The success of a particular path depends on product differentiation and cost-to-performance ratio.

Source: energytrend

SURAJ is anISR high-altitude drone designed specifically for surveillance operations, providing real-time information to the high command and protecting jawans on the ground. The drone’s unique J-shaped wings are equipped with solar-powered cells that serve as its primary fuel source, while an auxiliary battery provides additional propulsion or decreased speed as required. The drone will carry a versatile payload of high-resolution zoom cameras with thermal imagery and foliage-penetrating lidar sensors with a maximum capacity of 10 kg.

This cutting-edge technology will capture, process, and transmit photos and videos in real-time, ensuring that the headquarters and base have access to vital information before planning strategic operations and terms. It has an endurance of 12hours and can fly at an altitude of 3000 ft. The drone is all set to support various Indian and Global giants namely the Indian Army, Navy, Airforce, BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, DRDO, MOD, and MHA. Recently, Garuda Aerospace created history by raising $22 Million, the largest ever Series A funding in the drone sector.The funds will therefore help in the development of a 1:1 prototype of SURAJ which will be ready to fly by August 2023.

Dr. Satheesh Reddy, Former DRDO Chairman and current Principal Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister said, “Garuda Aerospace is one of the upcoming digital technology companies in the drone sector that are developing many technological solutions for various sectors like Defence, Agriculture and Industrial Automation. We are trying to work closely with Garuda Aerospace and It’s an honour for me to unveil their solar-powered unmanned reconnaissance aerial J-Glider SURAJ drone. My heartiest congratulations to the entire team of Garuda Aerospace.”

Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Founder and CEO, Garuda Aerospace said, “At Garuda Aerospace, we believe in the power of technology to transform the sector better. Garuda Aerospace’s SURAJ drone, will help in providing military and security support with edge-cutting solutions like real-time monitoring. Garuda Aerospace is also being guided by NAL, DRDO and several other scientists on the development of the SURAJ drone. We are so honored to unveil the SURAJ drone at Aero India 2023 and look forward to more success for Garuda Aerospace.Garuda Aerospace is committed to providing innovative solutions to meet the evolving needs of our military and security forces. We are confident that the SURAJ drone will play a vital role in safeguarding the security of our nation and the people. Suraj will have ISR capability and will be equipped with AI, ML and Bionic Chip for advanced real-time processing.”

Honorable PM Narendra Modi Ji simultaneously flagged 100 Kisan drones in 100 villages across India with live tracking, data collection, and processing. Garuda Aerospace has been the preferred drone partner for NDRF since the pandemic. Equipped with 400 drones and over 500 pilots across 84 cities, Garuda Aerospace is equipped to support different emergencies. Former captain of India’s national cricket team Mahendra Singh Dhoni unveiled a camera drone called Droni at The Global Drone Expo in Chennai and became the firm’s Brand Ambassador as well.

About Garuda Aerospace

Garuda Aerospace is India’s leading Drone tech startup focused on disrupting two major multi-billion-dollar sectors, Precision Agri Tech and Industry 4.0 upgradation. Garuda Aerospace is asset-light, recession-proof, agnostic, and focuses on eliminating labours in the agricultural field with drones focusing on the design, building, and customization of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Founded in 2015 with a team of 5, Garuda has scaled to 200+ member team having the largest drone fleet in India with over 400 drones and 500 pilots operating in 84 cities. Garuda Aerospace manufactures 30 types of drones and offers 50 types of services. Having served over 750 clients including TATA, Godrej, Adani, Reliance, Swiggy, Flipkart, Delhivery, L&T, Survey of India, SAIL, NTPC, IOCL, Smart cities, Intel, Amazon, Wipro, IISC, MIT Boston, NHAI for various projects, the company recently partnered with global giants such as Lockheed Martin, Cognizant and Elbit Systems. Garuda Aerospace is the first drone company to get DGCA approvals for Type Certification and Remote Pilot Training Organisation. Garuda is on a mission to impact 1 billion lives positively using affordable precision Drone Technology. Mahendra Singh Dhoni has invested in the company and is the Brand Ambassador.

Bengaluru : The state of Andhra Pradesh showcased its rich natural resources, large investments in infrastructure, land bank, and intensive reforms in rules and regulations at a successful investors meeting held today in Bengaluru. These efforts, taken together, position Andhra Pradesh as the state where abundance meets prosperity. The event is one of many such meets being organised in the run-up to the Global Investors Summit on March 3rd-4th 2023 in Visakhapatnam.

The state provides attractive opportunities for investing in renewable energy according to the honourable Finance Minister of Andhra Pradesh Shri. BugganaRajendranath. While addressing the Investors Meet in Bengaluru honourable minister said, “With rich renewable energy hubs, the State carries the potential for setting up 38 GW in solar and 44 GW in wind.”

Renewable power sources account for a third of the total installed capacity in the State of Andhra Pradesh. The nine GW of renewable power installed capacity includes 4.3 GW of solar power and 4.1 GW of wind power. Apart from this, the state has geared up local administration to recycle waste and generate power from Biomass, Municipal Solid Waste, and Industrial Waste.

Andhra Pradesh government has created a shelf of 7 projects with an estimated potential of 17,800 MW to set up solar, wind, and solar-wind hybrid power projects. In the state 29 locations have been identified for Pumped Hydro Storage Power Projects, carrying a potential of 33.2 GW. The state is looking to create the world’s largest ‘Integrated Renewable Energy Storage Project’ with an installed capacity of 4,230 MW and a storage capacity of 10 GWh.

The State is also making its way to become a leader in clean mobility and looking to convert all the APSRTC buses and all government vehicles into electric vehicles in a time-bound manner. A few cities such as Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Amaravati, and Tirupati have been shortlisted as Model Electric Mobility cities with an intent to convert 100% of all commercial & logistic fleets to electric fleets by 2029.

Key functionaries from various departments, ministries, and state government institutions had an open interaction with the investing community in Bengaluru today. Promising to handhold potential investors and facilitate the fastest turnaround time the presentations showcased the present and upcoming infrastructure and the conducive policy environment of the state.

Manufacturing, food processing, ports, IT and Electronics, handlooms, and textiles sectors attracted significant interest at the event. Andhra Pradesh is India’s gateway to the southeast with its 974 km long coastline, the second longest in the country, 6 existing ports, and 4 upcoming ports. However, it has also emerged as the fastest-growing state in India, as per the number released so far, with double-digit growth of 11.43% in 2021-22. The state has embarked on a rapid growth path under the able leadership of Sri Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Honourable Chief Minister. Thanks to the governance reforms and formulation of investor-friendly policies by the government, the state has emerged on top in terms of ease of doing business (EoD) for three consecutive years.

Consistent improvement in the governance framework to create hassle-free investing is augmented by hard infrastructure as three of the country’s eleven industrial corridors are being built in Andhra Pradesh alone. The improvements have been duly recognised and the state has received various awards over the last year alone. To name a few the LEADS award for logistics 2022, the Inertia Award for Energy 2022, the ET award for port-led, and the infrastructure project 2022.

The event was also graced by the key functionaries of state government including Dr.SrijanaGummalla, IAS, Director of Industries, VC & MD APIIC, CEO APEDB, Sri. L Sridhar Reddy, CEO, AP Food Processing Society, Sri. Ravindranath Reddy, Dep. CEO, AMPB, ……. ITES secretary ……… Smt. K.Sunitha, IAS, Prl Secretary, Handlooms & Textiles

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• Shri R K Singh, Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy & President of ISA Assembly, interacts with delegates from West Africa
• Sixty participants from thirteen African countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo are in the Indian capital to learn of India’s success in planning & implementation of solar energy generation facilities

International Solar Alliance (ISA), in collaboration with Grid Controller of India Ltd (Grid-India) and West African Power Pool (WAPP), is hosting delegates from the West African Region in New Delhi, India, from 14th to 18th February. Sixty participants from thirteen WAPP countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo will participate in a knowledge sharing and study tour highlighting aspects of solar energy implementation.

Shri R.K. Singh, Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy & President of ISA Assembly, appreciating the importance of knowledge sharing and capacity building, said, “India’s journey in energy has been comprehensive, satisfying and thrown up experiences that are very useful for the growth of energy ecosystems in the world. The global challenge is to enable energy access for 800 million people and thereby give them a better standard of living. Energy access, therefore, is of primary importance. We have prioritised universal access in India by adding generation capacity. We have connected the whole country on one grid. We have also been successful in energy transition. Renewable energy’s advantage is that it is cheaper and can be distributed for off the grid areas. In developing countries, renewables plus storage is the route to take”.

Dr Ajay Mathur, Director General, ISA, highlighted the need to encourage capacity building and disseminating of best practices to increase solar deployment globally. He noted, “ISA is working towards making solar power a priority for nations across the world. Since its establishment, ISA is scaling up efforts to implement its existing pipeline for solar projects, share knowledge, and build capacity across the solar value chain. Theoretical learning combined with practical knowledge through personal experience leads to a deeper understanding, and ISA has provided tailored capacity-building support adapted to the local context. In collaboration with Grid-India and WAPP, this programme will set standards and help strengthen the solar ecosystems in all ISA Member Countries. It will also trigger policy change and help in the creation of financial and human capacity. Unhindered exchange of knowledge and information between countries can vastly benefit ISA member countries and the fight against climate change”

The Knowledge Sharing session also witnessed the presence of missions from WAPP countries. Also present on occasion were Shri S.R. Narasimhan, Chairperson & Managing Director, Grid Controller of India Limited and Mr Mamadou Alpha SYLLA of WAPP.

Mr Narasimhan, CMD, Grid India, said, “India-West Africa partnership is both unique & defining. Both are considered the cradle of human culture and civilisation. Both are on an upward trajectory with renewed confidence. India began its journey on the integration of grids way back in the 1960s, and the national synchronous grid provided the perfect ecosystem for integration. Policy thrusts, technical standards, Grid Codes, regulatory framework and market mechanisms followed soon thereafter. Today we have 60 GW solar capacity (out of which 7 GW is rooftop) and 42 GW wind capacity, and we have already reached 32% instantaneous MW penetration of wind and solar. This knowledge exchange and study tour is the first step towards creating a long-lasting partnership and collaboration between WAPP and India. I am confident that the participants would find it useful listening to our journey, and it would also be great to learn about the WAPP journey in grid interconnections and Renewable Energy integration.”

Mr Mamadou Alpha SYLLA of WAPP said, “Africa will account for one-fourth of the world population by 2040. There is fast increasing electricity demand, but the industrialisation rate is low. In the WAPP countries, the challenge is to promote integrated economic development and provide energy for all. In addition, we need to secure financing for the realisation of utility-scale renewable energy projects in West Africa, integrate variable renewable energy into the WAPP power grid and bridge the green skills gap in the electricity sector. With this ISA-led knowledge-sharing opportunity, we also intend to pick up the essentials of regulatory functions in securing a secure electricity market.”

The programme participants include officials from ministries, statutory, regulatory bodies, and utility companies from participating African nations. The tour highlights include classroom sessions and interactions in New Delhi and Bengaluru, visits to Pavagada Solar Park, Southern Regional Load Despatch Centre, and Southern Regional Renewable Energy Management Centre. The programme agenda will help participants with insights into global and Indian solar energy scenarios, policies, guidelines, and regulations overview for renewable energy in India from a solar energy perspective. The study tour will be conducted in three batches over February and March 2023.

About the International Solar Alliance

The International Solar Alliance is an international organisation with 114 Member and Signatory countries. It works with governments to improve energy access and security worldwide and promote solar power as a sustainable transition to a carbon-neutral future. ISA’s mission is to unlock US$ 1 trillion of investments in solar by 2030 while reducing the cost of the technology and its financing. It promotes the use of solar energy in the Agriculture, Health, Transport and Power Generation sectors. ISA member countries are driving change by enacting policies and regulations, sharing best practices, agreeing on common standards, and mobilising investments. Through this work, ISA has identified and designed and tested new business models for solar projects; supported governments to make their energy legislation and policies solar-friendly through Ease of Doing Solar analytics and advisory; pooled demand for solar technology from different countries; and drove down costs; improved access to finance by reducing the risks and making the sector more attractive to private investment; increased access to solar training, data and insights for solar engineers and energy policymakers. With the signing and ratification of the ISA Framework Agreement by 15 countries on 6 December 2017, ISA became the first international intergovernmental organisation to be headquartered in India. ISA is partnering with multilateral development banks (MDBs), development financial institutions (DFIs), private and public sector organisations, civil society, and other international institutions to deploy cost-effective and transformational solutions through solar energy, especially in the least Developed Countries (LDCs) and the Small Island Developing States (SIDS).