October India RE Highlights From MNRE Report For Union Cabinet

In its monthly summary of key highlights, recently shared for the month of October, the Ministry of Renewable Energy (MNRE) has focused on renewable energy additions, international conferences and important developments in the work of Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI).

The ministry informs that a total of 1522.35 MW of renewable energy (RE) capacity was added, taking the cumulative installed RE capacity to 103.05 GW as on October 31, 2021. This includes 47.66 GW of solar capacity, 39.99 GW of wind capacity, 10.58 GW of bio-power capacity and 4.82 GW of small hydro capacity. Further, the projects of 50.98 GW capacity are at various stages of implementation. Projects of 32.06 GW capacity are under various stages of building.

An expenditure of Rs. 2265.99 crore has been incurred up to October 31, 202,1 which is around 39.39 percent of the total budget estimate (BE) for the ministry for the year 2021-22.

Letter(s) of Award have been issued on October 4, 2021, for the setting up of aggregate capacity of 5,000 MW solar PV power plants using domestically manufactured solar PV cells and solar PV modules by Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) under Tranche-III of MNRE’s CPSU scheme Phase-II.

MNRE also highlighted that financial bids were opened on October 25, 2021, in tender invited by IREDA under MNRE’s Production Linked Incentive Scheme ‘National Programme on High Efficiency Solar PV Modules’. Evaluation of financial bids by IREDA is underway.

The important developments in the work of SECI in the month of October 2021 are as follows:

• PSA signed for 100 MW capacity under 2000 MW ISTS-connected solar projects RFS issued for setting up of 1200 MW IST connected wind power projects (ISTS-IX) tender.
• RfS issued for setting up of 1200 MW ISTS connected wind power projects (Tranche-XII) tender.
• LoA issued for 1200 MW of wind capacity under 1200 MW ISTS connected wind power tender (Tranche-XI).
• RfS issued on 22.10.2021 for setting up of 1200 MW ISTS connected wind-solar hybrid power projects (Tranche V).
• PSA signed for 100 MW in RTC-I tender.
• EoI issued on 14.10.2021 for setting up of 500 MW/1000 MWh Standalone Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in India under Global Competitive Bidding (ESS-I)

The ministry also recounted that IREDA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with North-Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO) October 2, 2021, at New Delhi. Under the MoU, IREDA will undertake Techno-Financial due diligence of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency and Conservation Projects for (NEEEPCO).

The details of important international meetings/conferences which saw participation from MNRE are as follows:

• The MNRE minister participated in the pre launch event Green Grid Initiative- One Sun One World Grid (GGI-OSOWOG) held on October 12, 2021.
• The MNRE minister, as the President of International Solar Alliance (ISA), chaired the 4th Assembly of ISA virtually held on October 20, 2021.
• The MNRE minister met Mr. Frans Timmermans, European Commission’s Executive Vice President, October 21, 2021, at New Delhi.
• Minister of State for NRE delivered the keynote address at the virtual conference on India’s Renewable Energy Achievements and Ambitions” on October 6, 2021 during the World Expo 2020 at Dubai.
• MoS NRE participated in the UN Day commemoration event organised by UN-India on October 22, 2021 at ISA, New Delhi.