Another auction, another record. Tariffs in the Indian renewables sector are in free fall and the appetite of private developers to secure large, grid-connected solar and wind power projects by offering rock bottom unit prices shows no signs of slackening. In the latest instance, the India arm of France’s Engie SA won a contract to build a 250 MW solar power project in Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh for a flat Rs 3.15 per kWh last week through competitive reverse bidding. “Clean affordable power for all,” energy minister Piyush Goyal announced on Twitter on April 11. “Solar achieves another record low of Rs 3.15/ unit (flat rate) during auction in Kadapa, AP by NTPC.”

Publication: The Wire

The Rewa Ultra Mega Solar (RUMS) park could turn out to be a game-changer in renewable energy in India. Soon after bids were cleared for the 750MW project, the railways approached the MP government to set up a Rewa-type solar plant, and even Coal India and oil firms are eyeing green energy, Manu Shrivastav, the principal secretary for new and renewable energy, told TOI on Wednesday.

Publication: ET Energy World

Rural Electrification Corp. (REC), a state-owned backer of India’s power sector, plans to lend billions of rupees to clean-energy projects and equipment makers this fiscal year as part of an expanded push into renewables that will also see it issue green bonds overseas. The non-banking financial company is aiming to triple its clean-energy lending and is expecting to set aside nearly Rs10,000 crore ($1.5 billion) for renewable energy in the financial year ending 31 March, chairman P.V. Ramesh said in an interview.

Publication: Live Mint

As per the “Key World Energy Statistics” report by International Energy Agency’s(IEA), in 2014 the global total primary energy supply was 13.7 Btoe (Billion Tonnes of Oil Equivalent). About four fifth of that is accounted by fossil fuels e.g. Coal, Oil and Natural gas. About 5% of that is contributed by nuclear fuels leaving the shares of others including renewables to less than 15%. The figures are different when it comes to source used for generation of electricity. The share of fossil fuels is two third and nuclear sources account for roughly 10%. The share of renewables including hydro is about a quarter.

Publication: Business World

Non-fossil fuels — renewables, nuclear and large hydroelectric power plants — will account for more than half (56.5 per cent) of India’s installed power capacity by 2027, according to a draft of the third National Electricity Plan (NEP3). The draft notes that if India achieves its target to install 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022 — as committed under the 2015 Paris Agreement — it will not need to install, at least until 2027, any more coal-fired capacity than the 50 GW currently under construction.

Publication: The Financial Express

India is now entering the ‘Third Age of Connectivity’; it is being driven by technology and commercial developments, but the ultimate beneficiaries will be India’s consumers who will enjoy more choice and bargaining power than ever before. The humble network – cables, infrastructure – is at the heart of this shift, which will have profound impacts in Indian society from family life to the workplace.

Publication: ET Telecom