India to boost solar wind projects through cheaper contracts

15 Dec 2020 Editorial Team

India plans to assist renewable energy developers after no support from cash-strapped utilities for long-term contracts that were needed to underwrite new solar and wind projects, according to media reports.

State run Solar Energy Corporation is evaluating options to pool electricity supply from renewable energy projects by developers, including Adani Green Energy, and offer it to be utilised at more affordable prices. This should enable firms to seal deals with utilities to start construction on as much as 15.2 GW of renewable energy capacity, which is a sixth of the current installation, and facilitate the government's climate goals.

Distribution utilities which suffered losses were reluctant to agree to long term contracts particularly because the prices of solar power are expected to decline shortly.

The utility solar installations have been reduced in the first three quarters of 2020. The plan involves 12 GW of projects under India’s biggest solar auctions last year. Adani Green won bids to build two-thirds of that capacity; the remaining bids were awarded to Azure Power Global Ltd. India is the world's third-largest emitter of greenhouses gases. The country has set targets to increase its renewable power capacity to 175 GW by 2022, it is also aiming to raise it to five folds by 2030. 90% of India’s electricity is sold to provincial distribution utilities that have signed contracts run for nearly 25 years. Projects that failed to sign those contracts are struggling to repay their debt, leaving behind vendors to fund projects without buyer commitments.

Image Source

Equipment

12 Dec 2025

Schwing Stetter India Unveils New Innovations at Excon 2025

Schwing Stetter India unveiled more than 20 new machines at Excon 2025, marking one of its most significant showcases and introducing several India-first technologies to the construction equipment sector. The company launched the country’s first 56-metre boom pump designed and manufactured in India, the first fully electric truck mixer, the first CNG mixer variant and the first hybrid boom pump. Executives said the launch portfolio was engineered to support India’s move toward faster, greener and more vertically oriented infrastructure through advanced engineering, clean-energy solutions a..

SEPC Resolves Hindustan Copper Dispute, Wins Rs 725 Mn Order

Engineering, procurement and construction firm SEPC Ltd has recently settled a dispute with Hindustan Copper Ltd (HCL) and secured a mining infrastructure order valued at Rs 725 million from the state-owned company. SEPC informed the stock exchanges that it has executed a settlement deed with HCL, bringing closure to all inter-se claims and counterclaims arising from arbitration proceedings. As part of the settlement, SEPC will receive Rs 304.5 million as full and final payment, marking the resolution of all pending disputes between the two entities. The company also stated that Hindustan Co..

20% Ethanol Blending Cuts India’s CO2 Emissions by 73.6 Mn Tonnes

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari recently said that India has reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 73.6 million metric tonnes due to the adoption of 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol. He made the statement while replying to supplementary questions during the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha. Describing ethanol as a green fuel, the minister said it plays a key role in reducing pollution while also supporting higher incomes for farmers. He underlined that ethanol blending contributes both to environmental sustainability and rural economic growth. Nitin Gadkari also po..