Page 12 - AsiaElec Week 27

AsiaElec RENEWABLES AsiaElec

India receives record-low

solar tariff bids

INDIA THE Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) The tariffs were so low because of tender
has received a historic low tariff bid of INR2.36 rules that allow zero safeguard duty for devel-
($0.03) per kWh from SolarPack, a Spanish opers, reduced customs duties for solar com-
developer, during the ninth tranche of its Inter- ponents and the general fall in the cost of solar
state Transmission System (ISTS) solar PV technology.
tender. Other winners included Amp Energy Green,
With 2GW on offer, SolarPack made the low- Eden Renewables, Ayana Renewable and IB
est bid, while Enel and IB Vogt also made win- Vogt Singapore, which all made a bid of INR2.37
ning bids. ($0.03) per kWh, each picking up 300MW.
SECI said that its ninth bidding round had India’s ReNew Power bid INR2.38 ($0.0316)
attracted 12 bids in total. Of those, seven have per kWh, winning 400MW.
been awarded, with 25-year power purchase “We are happy to note a few first-timers and
agreements (PPAs) to be signed in the coming a majority of the winners are foreign companies,
months. which is encouraging. And, of course, the tariff
Solarpack said that it had made the bid is low, which is very good,” a SECI official said,
of INR2.36 ($0.031) per kWh for 396MW of India’s Mercom reported.
capacity. All seven winner came from seven different
Enel said that its subsidiary Enel Green Power countries, with just one, ReNew Power, being
would develop 420MW of solar capacity, the Indian.
maximum allowed in the tender, after bidding a However, this could be the last time that such
slightly higher INR2.37 ($0.03) per kWh. This is low bids are made, attracted by generous govern-
the first solar project for Enel in India. ment subsidies.
“India represents an important market in a “This low bid is an indication of where the
strategic geography for our company, as it boasts market pricing is for the large-scale solar pro-
a wealth of renewable resources and a highly jects without duties on modules and ALMM.
competitive environment coupled with growing Government agencies cannot expect this level of
energy demand. We are proud to strengthen our pricing again once duties and other regulations
presence in India with our first solar project, as are imposed,” said Raj Prabhu, CEO of Mercom
we continue to contribute to the achievement Capital Group.
of the country’s sustainable energy goals, while According to Mercom India Research, SECI
providing clean energy with the most innova- has so far tendered 16.7GW of ISTS solar pro-
tive technologies,” said Enel Green Power CEO jects under Tranche I to X, and auctioned around
Antonio Cammisecra. 8.84GW under Tranche I to Tranche VIII.™

P12 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 27 08•July•2020