Page 14 - AsiaElec Week 10 2023

AsiaElec NEWS IN BRIEF AsiaElec

Reliance, Adani to build 25 while utilising Viviid’s local experience, it said. Three big name firms
The partnership aims to support
GW of green energy in India India’s ambitious goal of installing 500 bid to start polysilicon
GW of renewable energy capacity by
Reliance Industries is planning to add 10 GW 2030. manufacturing in India
of solar and Adani Ports is planning 15 GW The partnership between CIP and Viviid
of renewables in Andhra Pradesh in southern Renewables marks CIP’s second CI NMF Reliance Industries Limited (RIL),
India, reports Bloomberg. I partnership in the Indian renewable US-based First Solar, and Shirdi Sai
The two Indian business energy market, reflecting India’s continuing have all placed individual bids for end-
conglomerates, owned by Mukesh importance as a key focus area for the fund, to-end polysilicon wafer cells module
Ambani and Gautam Adani, among said CIP. (PWCM) manufacturing as part of the
Asia’s wealthiest men, made the CIP manages 10 funds and has raised second tranche of India’s Production
announcements at a recent investors’ approximately €19bn ($20.2bn) to date from Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for solar
gathering organised by Andhra Pradesh. more than 140 international institutional equipment manufacturing.
Despite their origins in fossil fuels, both investors for investments in renewable energy According to reports, RIL and Shirdi Sai
conglomerates are rapidly shifting to green and associated infrastructure. It is the world’s each bid for 6 Gw, while First Solar bid for 3.4
energy, with Ambani pledging in 2022 to largest dedicated fund manager for greenfield Gw.
invest $75bn in the sector and Gautam renewable energy investments and a global At present, no firm in India manufactures
Adani promising to spend $70bn, said leader in offshore wind. polysilicon, which is the raw material for
Bloomberg. the entire supply chain of solar equipment
Both firms have established a notable manufacturing.
presence in Andhra Pradesh, with Reliance Questions raised over It is an area that authorities in India are
operating deep-sea gas fields offshore in keen to plug in a bid to become more self
the Krishna-Godavari Basin and Adani substandard Chinese build reliant in PV supplies infrastructure in the
overseeing two major ports. years ahead.
Still, the Adani Group has been grappling coal power plant
with damage-control efforts in the wake
of a critical report from a short seller that The Norochcholai Coal Power Plant in Sri Japan’s neighbours raise
triggered a sell-off in stocks and bonds. Lanka, which was built with Chinese funding,
In Andhra Pradesh, a high court had has experienced frequent breakdowns since concerns over Fukushima
ruled that state distribution utilities need not its commissioning in 2011, causing significant
pay renewable energy producers the amount financial losses to the Ceylon Electricity water discharge
agreed to in power purchase agreements Board.
(PPAs). But that was overturned by another The plant was constructed by the China Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, in
high court ruling in 2022, so the state is once Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) addition to South Korea’s Second Vice Foreign
again looking more promising for renewable in three phases, with a total power generation Minister Lee Do-hoon have expressed
energy investment. capacity of 900 MW and an estimated cost of concern and urged Japan to handle the issue
USD 1.35 billion. of nuclear-contaminated water discharge
According to reports, the plant has suffered from the Fukushima nuclear power plant in a
CIP, Viviid to co-develop 1.8 over 20 breakdowns since its commissioning, responsible manner.
Qin stated that the issue is vital to the
leading to concerns about the quality of the
GW of renewables in India equipment used in the plant’s construction. marine environment and human health,
Former Power and Renewable Energy Deputy
while Lee emphasized the need for a
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) has Minister Ajith P. Perera has alleged that the comprehensive assessment report from the
formed a partnership with Viviid Renewables, plant was built with substandard and outdated IAEA containing verification results of the
an Indian developer, to create more than 1.8 material that does not meet international water discharge plan and the involvement
GW of greenfield renewable energy projects standards. of experts and research institutes from
in India. The frequent breakdowns have caused interested parties in the review.
CIP’s Copenhagen Infrastructure New significant financial losses to the Ceylon Liu Jing, deputy director of the China
Markets Fund I (CI NMF I) will lead the Electricity Board, which is responsible for Atomic Energy Authority, also criticized
partnership, which will focus on onshore wind operating the plant. Japan’s move to approve its own plan and
projects. The government of Sri Lanka has been expedite the construction of discharge
The partnership will begin with two negotiating with China over the repair and facilities, seemingly ignoring authoritative
onshore wind projects with a combined maintenance of the plant, and there have been advice from the IAEA and opposition from
capacity of more than 500 MW, with future calls for an independent investigation into the agencies both at home and abroad.
projects expected to be constructed through quality of the plant’s construction. Liu stressed that Japan should not use the
successor CI NMF funds. The Norochcholai Coal Power Plant has assessment from the IAEA technical task force
Viviid will provide the projects from its been controversial since its construction, as a free pass regarding its discharge plan.
pipeline and will also offer key development with concerns raised about its environmental The IAEA has yet to complete its
activities up to the final investment impact and the dependence on imported assessment of Japan’s disposal plan and
decision (FID) as well as providing design, coal. draw specific conclusions, but its three
engineering, procurement and construction The plant has been criticized for reports published so far have pointed
services. contributing to air pollution and increasing out the plan’s non-compliance with the
CIP will take charge of off-take sourcing, Sri Lanka’s carbon footprint, as well as for agency’s safety standards and suggested
general procurement activities and financing being vulnerable to disruptions in coal supply. improvement.

P14 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 10 08 •March•2023