Black & Veatch, ENACT Systems join hands to elevate Southeast Asia’s commercial solar project management

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21st May 2020

Middle East second most popular region for renewable energy investment

The Middle East is the second most popular region for renewable energy investment after North America, according to a recent report from UK-based law firm Ashurst. The region is home to some of the largest renewable energy bets in the world. The UAE, for instance, is currently developing the Mohammed Bin Rashid Solar Park, the world’s largest concentrated solar power project in the world. Considering the huge renewable energy resources available in the region it is not surprising that the Middle East and North Africa ranked so highly for current and future investment. Added to that, the record-breaking low prices of solar in the region make the technology incredibly attractive to developers, said Ashurt’s Head of Middle East David Charlier. The report gathered data from over 2,000 senior business people in the Group of 20 countries that either work for energy companies, are investors in energy, service providers to energy companies, or have responsibility in energy decision making for other sector companies. Around 26 percent of respondents to the survey in the Middle East said that they were presently investing in energy transition, marking the region as the most popular for current investment in renewables, while 11 percent added that they were considering investing. In North America, the most popular region, 28 percent said that they were currently investing, with 11 percent stating they are considering investing.

No Exceptions By DEWA For PV Projects Under Shams Dubai

DEWA praises the continuous effort of Dubai’s solar industry to support Shams Dubai, executing projects in line with DEWA’s technical requirements and the applicable Laws and DEWA regulations. As per currently applicable Connection Conditions for Generators of Electricity from Solar Energy (DEWA DRRG Connection Conditions) published by DEWA on the basis of Executive Council Resolution number 46 of 2014 : – Ground mounted projects are no longer envisaged under Shams Dubai; – The maximum capacity to be installed in a plot is capped at 2,080 kW (lower limits can apply based on the customer’s total connected load in the plot, as per table in DEWA DRRG Connection Conditions). No exceptions to these restrictions will be granted by DEWA for solar PV projects initiated by customers under Shams Dubai, and no other regulatory framework is envisaged to accept any application not complying with the abovementioned restrictions and other Shams Dubai applicable regulations. Solar Contractor and Consultants are requested to make the above clear to customers and refrain from signing with them any contract for supporting or executing solar PV projects in Dubai not complying with abovementioned restrictions and other Shams Dubai applicable regulation. Strict compliance with these instructions is required, and violations will be subject to administrative action inclusive of removal from the list of DEWA enrolled Electrical and Solar PV Consultants and Contractors. This is without prejudice to other legal action as per applicable laws.

MASE signs operations and maintenance contract for Shamsuna 10 MW Solar PV Plant

MASE, the leading regional solar operations and maintenance firm, signed a turn-key contract with Catalyst Investment Management (CIM) to operate and maintain the Shamsuna 10 MW Solar PV Plant located within Solar Park I of the Ma’an Development Area in Ma’an, Jordan. The Plant, owned by CIM, is part of Jordan’s Round I Renewable Energy IPP Program. It is financed by the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC), acting as mandate lender for the Seven Sisters Program, together with the Entrepreneurial Development Bank (FMO). Under the contract, MASE will carry out turn-key operations, maintenance and management services comprising preventative, predictive and corrective maintenance to ensure the plant’s long-term performance and optimal availability. MASE was selected by CIM as part of a competitive request for proposal process, which involved technical and commercial due diligence carried out by the project lenders and their technical advisers. The process and subsequent award further cements the bankability of MASE’s solar O&M value proposition and adds upon its rapidly growing operational track record in Jordan.

BELECTRIC commissions 46 MW Jordan Solar and Storage Project

BELECTRIC is delivering a utility scale PV plant on challenging terrain: the company has completed a solar plant in Jordan on a mountainous terrain with varied ground composition close to the airport of Amman. BELECTRIC, via its subsidiary BELECTRIC Gulf Ltd., has built and commissioned the South Amman Solar Power Plant with a total installed capacity of 46.33 MWp as EPC (Engineering-Procurement-Construction) provider on behalf of the Jordanian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources. In addition to the turnkey PV solution BELECTRIC is delivering a battery storage system with a capacity of 2.6 MWh for the South Amman solar project. The battery storage facility is expected to be commissioned this summer. BELECTRIC will also provide operation and maintenance services (O&M) to the facility. A corresponding agreement has already been signed. The long-term service contract includes remote power plant monitoring, regular inspections and on-site support in the event of a fault.

Sungrow to Supply 1500V SG250HX Inverter Solutions to 500 MWac PV Plant in Oman

Sungrow announced it will supply 1500V SG250HX inverter solutions to the 500 MWac IBRI II project in Oman. The delivery of inverter solutions will commence in Q2 this year. The project is expected to come online in the summer of 2021. The IBRI II PV project is an Independent Power Project (IPP) to be developed on a BOO (build, own, operate) basis. The $400 million project was funded on a debt to equity ratio of 70:30 and a consortium consisting of ACWA Power, Gulf Investment Corporation (GIC) and the Alternative Energy Projects Company (AEPC) has achieved the financial closure of it recently. The project will supply clean power to state-owned utility Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP) under a 15-year contract. The plant can generate roughly 1,300 GWh annually, which is enough to power an estimated 33,000 homes and offset 340,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year.

Dewa discusses enhancing cooperation with Singapore

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) discussed ways to enhance co-operation with Singaporean authorities besides exchanging of the best international practices and expertise, especially in clean energy. Al Tayer, MD & CEO, Dewa pointed out that Dewa had undertaken a set of precautionary measures to ensure the health and safety of its staff and customers, in line with the Dubai Government’s efforts to provide the highest level of protection against Covid-19. Dewa has ensured the continuity of its delivery of electricity and water, according to the highest standards of availability, reliability, and efficiency. Its digital infrastructure and the training programmes staff attended over the last few years to use technological tools and channels, has enabled it to implement a remote working system. Over 6,000 employees of Dewa are currently working remotely. Kamal R Vaswani, Ambassador of Singapore to the UAE, expressed his interest in cooperating with the authority in its pioneering projects in clean and renewable energy and water. He commended the bilateral relations between the UAE and Singapore, as well as the Dewa’s relentless efforts to achieve the sustainable development of Dubai.

20by2020′ deploys high-performance energy-efficient LED solar lights in Jordan

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21st May 2020

As part of the UAE humanitarian initiative, ‘20by2020’, the Zayed Sustainability Prize has announced the recent deployment of sustainable lighting solutions at Prince Hamzah Hospital in the Jordanian capital Amman. The hospital is currently treating the largest number of COVID-19 patients in the country.

Sunna Design, the Zayed Sustainability Prize 2018 winner under the ‘Energy category’ and a France-based SME, is installing its high-performance energy-efficient LED solar lights within the parameter of the popular public hospital, to provide sustainable lighting and enhance the safety of the area for more than 3,000 people and more than 100 medical staff, on a daily basis.

20by2020 is a UAE-driven initiative led by the Zayed Sustainability Prize in partnership with Abu Dhabi Global Market, Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, Mubadala Petroleum, Year of Tolerance and Masdar, in addition to Majid Al Futtaim, who recently joined the initiative in support of the Jordan deployment.

Commenting on the occasion, H.E. Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State and Director General of the Zayed Sustainability Prize said: “The 20by2020 initiative deploys the solutions of Zayed Sustainability Prize winners and finalists, to effectively impact communities and address some of the world’s most pressing challenges in health, food, energy and water. This is in line with the vision of the UAE’s wise leadership to support development efforts around the world and embody the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed to strengthen sustainability, and this is an area that represents an inspiring roadmap as we seek positive progress.”

H.E. Al Jaber added, “The latest 20by2020 deployment, comes at a time when medical staff at Prince Hamzah Hospital, a key pillar in Jordan’s public healthcare sector, take on a critical role in combatting COVID-19, and we are honoured to provide practical sustainable solutions to further bolster the hospital’s strong capabilities and efforts.”

H.E. Al Jaber went on to say that the steadfast support of the 20by2020 partners has been instrumental in the initiative’s global success, as all parties work collaboratively to leverage common values and empower communities through impactful solutions.

On his part, H.E. Dr. Saad Jaber, Jordan’s Minister of Health, stated, “The 20by2020 initiative coincides with the pivotal responsibility and role that Prince Hamzah Hospital and its staff are playing in treating the largest number of coronavirus patients in Jordan, in partnership with the Ministry of Health. On behalf of the Hospital and Jordan’s healthcare sector, I would like to extend our thanks and appreciation to the Zayed Sustainability Prize, in addition to the 20by2020 partners, for installing these important environmentally-friendly solutions, and we look forward to exploring other avenues of future collaboration.”

The 20by2020 initiative oversees the donation and deployment of previous Prize winners’ and finalists’ technologies, to communities around the world, with the aim of championing and effectively driving the sustainability and humanitarian values of the UAE’s founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed, while pursuing key global sustainable development goals.

The first phase of 20by2020 is currently overseeing the installation of solutions in 10 countries – with four countries already rolled out to date, including Nepal, Tanzania and Uganda. The initiative will also deploy another 10 solutions by the end of the year; however, the timings are dependent on the individual country-specific conditions in light of the global pandemic.

Upcoming technology deployments include energy and water-related projects in Egypt, Indonesia, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Madagascar and Costa Rica.

MERC Approves Tariff Proposed by MSEDCL for Procurement of 100 MW Solar Power on Long-Term Basis

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21st May 2020

Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission recently passed an order approving the tariff rate of Rs. 3.11/kWh for 100 MW Cumulative Capacity Grid Interactive Solar PV Power Projects on a long term basis for 25 years which is to be developed by Energy Efficiency Services Limited EESL.Along with the revised tariff rate commission also passed other orders regarding the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) and Power Sale Agreement (PSA).

The Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Ltd. and Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd jointly filed a petition for seeking approval for tariff rate of Rs 3.11/kwh for long term procurement of power for 100 MW AC cumulative capacity of solar PV power projects in Western and Northern regions of Maharashtra under “Mukhyamantri Saur Krushi Vahini Yojana”.

Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Ltd. (MSPGCL) and Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd. (MSEDCL) were as follows: a) To approve the adoption of the Tariff rate of Rs. 3.11/kWh for 100 MWac Cumulative Capacity Grid Interactive Solar PV Power Projects to be developed by M/s. Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) at various locations in Western and North Maharashtra; b) Approve the proposed deviation concerning the Deemed Generation Clause and to approve the Draft PPA and PSA; c) To accord approval that the energy purchased by MSEDCL is entitled to the fulfillment of solar RPO target of MSEDCL.

The commission mentioned that the Commission has adopted the rate decided through MoU between MSPGCL and EESL and Order shall not be treated as a precedent. Besides, it also directed that MSPGCL and MSEDCL should approach the Commission jointly with deviations if any in the PPA and PSA.

The Commission stated that it would like to take on record the submission of MSPGCL about its participation in the bids called by MSEDCL. This is a positive step towards the discovery of tariffs through a competitive bidding process. Having lauded the initiative of MSPGCL, it would not be prudent to continue in the future, the practice of adopting tariff based on MoU between two parties.

The commission added that “In future if EESL or any other agency wishes to sign PPA with Distribution Licensee in the State, it should be based on Tariff discovered under Section 63 of the EA, 2003 unless there is a strong justification otherwise.”

The commission passed an order to adopt the Tariff rate of Rs. 3.11/kWh for 100 MWac Cumulative Capacity Grid Interactive Solar PV Power Projects on a long term basis for 25 years to be developed by Energy Efficiency Services Limited EESL at various locations in Western and North Maharashtra under “Mukhyamantri Saur Krushi Vahini Yojana”.

The Commission accords its approval to the proposed deviations sought in the Deemed Generation Clause and also approves the Draft Power Purchase Agreement and Power Sale Agreement.

The commission highlighted that “The Solar Power procured from these projects shall be eligible towards the fulfillment of Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co. Ltd’s Solar RPO for the respective periods”

In January 2020, The Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) has approved the tariff proposed by Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) through the competitive bidding process, priced at of ₹2.89/kWh and ₹2.90/kWh for the purchase of solar power. The solar power thus procured will be used for the fulfillment of Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited’s (MSEDCL) solar renewable purchase obligation (RPO). The tariffs proposed are in line with the changing market trends.

Total 615 MW of installed capacity to be provided by Amazon’s five new RE projects

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21st May 2020

Amazon announced five new renewable energy projects in China, Australia and the U.S. that further support Amazon’s commitment to reach 80% renewable energy by 2024 and 100% renewable energy by 2030 (and potentially as early as 2025), as well as to reach net zero carbon by 2040.

Amazon’s first renewable energy project in China is a 100 megawatt (MW) solar project in Shandong. Once complete, the project is expected to generate 128,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of clean energy annually.

Amazon’s second renewable energy project in Australia is a 105 MW solar project in New South Wales. This project will have the capacity to generate 250,000 MWh of clean energy each year, which is enough to power the equivalent of 40,000 average Australian homes.

Amazon’s newest renewable energy projects in the U.S. include two new projects in Ohio, a 200 MW solar project and an 80 MW solar project. Additionally, a new 130 MW solar project in Virginia brings the total number of renewable energy projects in the Commonwealth to 12. Once enabled, these three U.S.-based projects have the capacity to power the equivalent of 69,000 average U.S. homes each year.

When complete, the five new Amazon renewable energy projects totaling 615 MW of installed capacity will supply approximately 1.2 million MWh of additional renewable energy to the company’s fulfillment network and Amazon Web Services (AWS) data centers, which power Amazon and millions of customers globally.

To date, Amazon has announced 31 utility-scale wind and solar renewable energy projects and 60 solar rooftops on fulfillment centers and sort centers around the globe. Together, these projects totaling over 2,900 MW of capacity will deliver more than 7.6 million MWh of renewable energy annually, enough to power 680,000 U.S. homes.

Kara Hurst, Vice President of Sustainability, Amazon commented that, as a signatory to The Climate Pledge, they are committed to meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement 10 years early and reaching net zero carbon across Amazon by 2040. The five new renewable energy projects will be a critical part of the company’s roadmap to reach the goal. In fact, they believe it would be possible to reach the 100% renewable energy by 2025, five years ahead of the goals that were announced last fall. While this could be challenging, they have a credible plan to get there.

Virginia’s energy future is bright. Through investments in clean energy the company can reduce carbon emissions and create jobs to help drive long-term economic development, stated Virginia Senator Jennifer L. McClellan. She added that, the announcement of these new Amazon solar projects would help the Commonwealth meet their climate goals and contribute to their economic growth. The Virginia Clean Economy Act would help to drive more clean energy investments like this, to make Virginia a national hub for clean energy jobs.

Virginia Delegate Richard C. Sullivan Jr stated that, the clean energy job creation was a crucial driver for long-term economic development in the Commonwealth and was pleased that Amazon would continue to invest in Virginia’s clean energy future. The Virginia Clean Economy Act had put them on a path to 100 percent clean energy, and companies like Amazon were critical to helping in achieving that goal.

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India Launches 100 % Solarisation Scheme For Konark Town And Sun Temple In Odisha, 10 MW Planned

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21st May 2020

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has taken up the Complete Solarisation of Konark sun temple and Konark town in Odisha.

Speaking about the Scheme, R K Singh said, “Government of India launched the Scheme intending to take forward the Prime Minister’s vision to develop the historical Sun temple town of Konark in Odisha as ‘Surya Nagri’, to convey a message of synergy between the modern use of solar energy and the ancient Sun Temple and the importance of promoting solar energy”.

The Scheme envisages setting up of 10 MW grid-connected solar project and various solar off-grid applications like solar trees, solar drinking water kiosks, off-grid solar power plants with battery storage, etc with a 100% Central Financial Assistance (CFA) support of around Rs. 25 Crores from Government of India through Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE). The implementation of this project will be done by the Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency (OREDA).

The Scheme will meet all the energy requirements of Konark town with solar energy.

Recently, Indian RE Industry Welcomes Indu Shekhar Chaturvedi As New MNRE Secretary Indu Shekhar Chaturvedi (IAS) assumed charge as new Secretary, Ministry of New & Renewable Energy. After formally taking over, Chaturvedi met senior officers of the Ministry and took stock of the work and issues before the Ministry. Before this appointment, Chaturvedi was serving as Additional Chief Secretary and Additional Secretary (Climate Change Department ) of the Ministry of Climate Change Department, Environment & Forest, Government of Jharkhand.

All India Electricity Demand Bounced Back in Q4 FY’20 With 1.6% YoY Increase: Indian Energy Exchange

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21st May 2020

Indian Energy Exchange announces audited financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended March 31, 2020.

The results state that All India electricity demand bounced back in Q4 FY’20 with a 1.6% YoY growth after a decline of 5.9% in Q3 FY’20. The first two months in the quarter – Jan and Feb, witnessed a demand growth of 7.7% YoY. March began with positive growth, however, COVID-19 related preventive lockdown led to a 9.2% YoY decline in demand during the month. From a full-year FY’20 perspective, the power sector was characterized by muted electricity demand growth of 1.3% YoY, for the first time since FY’14 as we faced headwinds on account of several unprecedented developments related to economic and industrial growth slowdown as well as weather-related changes. India’s total installed power capacity reached 370 GW as on March 31, 2020, with renewable energy comprising 24%.In line with India’s commitment to the Paris Agreement to increase the share of green energy in the overall energy mix, the renewable capacity grew 12% YoY in the fiscal year 2020 and reached 87GW as on March 31, 2020, whereas thermal capacity increased only 2% YoY. On DISCOM relief, the Finance Minister announced a 90,000 Cr liquidity injection on 13th May 2020. This is a welcome step for financially stressed DISCOMs. In our view, the measures like PFC/ REC loans, rebates, and reforms announced by the Central Government will create the much-needed financial liquidity in the power sector value chain.

Additionally, on the policy and regulatory front, in April 2020 the Ministry of Power issued Draft Electricity Bill 2020. The key amendments proposed in the Bill relate to open access charges, distribution reforms, proposal to set up a new authority to adjudicate contracts enforcement and related disputes, promotion of renewable energy, stricter penalties, enforcement of payment security mechanism for generating companies, etc. These measures once implemented will help address several operational challenges being faced in the electricity value chain.

On a standalone basis, in Q4 FY’20 PAT at Rs. 47.2 crores was up 25% as compared to Rs. 37.8 crores in Q4’19; revenue for the quarter was up 17% YoY largely on account of the increase in overall volumes. PAT margin at 59%, was up from 56% a year ago. Starting Q3’20, the company started consolidating results of its wholly-owned subsidiary Indian Gas Exchange and PAT with that inclusion was Rs. 45.6 crores during the quarter.

For the full-year FY’20, on a standalone basis, the company recorded a 1% increase in revenues, PAT increased by 8% with a PAT margin at 60%. IEX reported a robust 40% YoY electricity volume growth in Q4 FY’20 from 9,908 MU in Q4 FY’19 to 13,835 MU in FY’20. TAM volumes increased by 89% YoY. The southern distribution utilities continued their preference for TAM contracts. On the price front, the day-ahead market saw an overall decline in prices by 14% during Q4 FY’20. Attractive prices helped the commercial and industrial consumers increase procurement by 41% during the same quarter. Including REC, total volumes increased by 29% YoY. For the full fiscal year 2020, IEX reported a 3.2% YoY growth in electricity volumes.

The electricity volumes increased from 52,189BU in FY’19 to 53,862 MU during FY’20. REC volumes were impacted adversely due to a lack of sell-side inventory during the year. During the year, the company continued to rigorously pursue technology-led innovations and made significant investments in technology and automation including manpower.

Further, the company undertook various capacity building initiatives and invested in creating robust practices and processes. With a PAT of Rs 175.7 crores on a consolidated basis, the company continues to be strongly placed with a robust business model and zero debt. Looking forward, COVID-19 has unfolded a multitude of challenges for the power sector but at the same time presenting an opportunity to realign the sector towards higher efficiencies on structural, policy, or operational aspects. In the post-COVID scenario, the nation is likely to see a lot more emphasis on automation, IT solutions, process innovations, customer-centricity across the energy value chain, and energy markets have a unique opportunity to drive the solutions.

The key highlights of the audited consolidated* financial results for the fourth quarter & year ended March 31, 2020, as declared by the Company on May 14, 2020, are as below:

MPERC Grants Extension To Power Transmission Companies To File MYT Petitions By 30th June 2020

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21st May 2020

Madhya Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission(MPERC) has issued an order granting time Extension to file petitions for determination of Multi-year Tariff(MYT) by Generating Companies in the State and M.P. Power Transmission Company Ltd Jabalpur by 30th June 2020. Power companies in its recent petition sought time extension up to 30.06.2020 for filing MYT petition for FY 2019- 20 to FY 2023-24.

The Commission has issued and notified Madhya Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (Terms and Conditions for determination of Generation Tariff) Regulations, 2020 on 28th February 2020 and Madhya Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (Terms and Conditions for determination of Transmission Tariff) Regulations, 2020 on 14th February’ 2020.

Concerning timelines for filing of MYT petitions by the generating companies, Regulation 6.2 of the MPERC Generation Tariff Regulations provides is as under: – “In case of an existing generating station or unit thereof, the application for determination of Multiyear Tariff shall be made by the generating company within a period of 60 days from the date of notification of these Regulations or as directed by the Commission whichever is earlier, based on admitted capital cost including additional capital expenditure already admitted in last true-up order of the Commission and estimated additional capital expenditure for the respective years of the tariff period 2019-24 following the MPERC (Terms and Conditions for determination of Generation Tariff) Regulations, 2020.”

The MPERC Transmission Tariff Regulations provides as under: “The Multi-Year Tariff filing in hard and soft copy shall be filed following and in the formats prescribed in MPERC (Details to be furnished and fees payable by the licensee or generating company for determination of Tariff and manner of making an application) Regulations, 2004 (as amended from time to time) within 60 days of notification of these Regulations.”

As per the above provisions, the petitions by the Transmission Licensee and Generating Companies for determination of Multi-year tariff for a new control period of FY 2019-20 to FY 2023-24 were required to be filed by 14th April’ 2020 and 28th April’ 2020, respectively.

M.P. Power Transmission Company Ltd., states that This is to submit that due to unprecedented situation arising out of COVID-19 Pandemic, the Govt. and other offices at Jabalpur were closed w.e.f. 21.03.2020 which subsequently continued up to 29.04.2020 due to the declaration of National Lock Down by the Govt. of India. As per directives issued by the Govt. of MP on 29.04.2020, the offices were directed to be re-opened w.e.f. 30.04.2020 and allowed the functioning of the offices with 30% staff only. This is further submitted that District Jabalpur has been kept under Red Zone, which has constrained in the functioning of the office because of the Nonattendance of staff residing in Containment Zones of the City. The information for framing the MYT Petition is voluminous which is to be obtained from different offices of MPPTCL and MPPMCL which are also not functioning properly to their full capacity. It is further submitted that process of the voluminous information in the formats prescribed for Multi-Year Tariff filing requires sufficient time. As such, at least Two-months time is required for framing the MYT Petition subject to the resumption of the normal functioning of all concerned offices. Given the above, it is prayed that Hon’ble Commission may kindly be pleased to allow the filing of MYT Petition for Transmission Tariff control period FY 2019-20 to FY 2023-24 by the MPPTCL up to 30.06.2020.”

The Commission has observed that on account of the outbreak of COVID-19 and as a measure to contain the spread of this pandemic, the Government of India has taken measures to lock down the country with effect from 25.3.2020. Due to aforesaid reasons, the generating companies in the state and M.P. Power Transmission Companies are unable to file their MYT petitions.

The commission passes an order that “With the above background and keeping in view the difficulties being faced by the Generating Companies and Transmission Licensee in filing tariff petitions during this period, the Commission is of the view that the Generating Companies and Transmission Licensee in the State may be allowed additional time to file the Multi-year tariff petitions for a new control period of FY 2019-20 to FY 2023-24.”

The order further added, accordingly, in the exercise of the provisions under aforesaid Regulations, the provisions under Terms and Conditions for determination of Generation Tariff and Terms and Conditions for determination of Transmission Tariff are hereby relaxed by this order and the Generating Companies which are covered under the scope of Madhya Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission and M.P Power Transmission Company Ltd, Jabalpur is permitted to file the Multi-year tariff petitions for the control period FY 2019-20 to FY 2023-24 by 30th June’ 2020.

Recently, Madhya Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission(MPERC) has issued an Order stating the Schedule of Hearing of May 2020. The order states that the hearing scheduled during the months of March & April 2020 has been postponed due to lockdown on account of the COVID – 19 outbreak. To take up those cases, the Commission has decided to hold the hearing through Video-conferencing. The hearings shall be held using “Webex ” as a video conference platform.

Amplus and Synergy Wave Win 30 MW Rooftop Solar Tender, Lowest Bid of INR 37000/kW

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20th May 2020

Indraprastha Power Generation Company Limited (IPGCL) has announced the winners of the tender for the empanelment of firm for 30 MW of rooftop solar under the capital expenditure model of Part A,E,C and D.

The winners for Part A and E are Amplus KN One Power Private Limited (Amplus Solar) emerged as the L1 bidder who quoted project costs of Rs 37,000/kW and Rs 39,200/kW respectively.

For part C and D Synergy Wave System LLP emerged as the winner who quoted project costs of Rs 37,790/kW and Rs 33,931/kW individually.

The scope of work includes the site survey, design, installation, supply, installation, testing, commissioning, operation and maintenance of the solar systems .The location of this project is at Delhi.

As per RFS clause all the qualified bidders other than L1 bidder falling in the bracket of (L1+25% of L1) or (L1+30% of L1 in case empanelled agencies are less than 5) , can give their consent (in the format as attached herewith in Annexure1) within three working days.

It was reported earlier that The Delhi DISCOMs (BRPL, BYPL and TPDDL) are implementing a Rooftop Solar Tender (30 MW) in the residential sector under MNRE Phase II Program with the tender facilitation assistance from IPGCL and Technical Assistance (TA) from the SUPRABHA Program (MNRE SBI The World Bank Initiative). The NIT was published by IPGCL on 22nd Feb 2020.

Delhi DISCOMs Implementing A Rooftop Solar Tender 30 MW

MNRE Allows SERCs To Conduct Virtual Hearing

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20th May 2020

monitor-1307227_640 — Photo courtesy of Pixabay

The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) has recently passed an order to State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs) in regards to allow the online listing of petitions and start hearing of petitions through video conferencing.

The Renewable Power Developers have submitted to this Ministry that due to the extended nationwide lock-down in the wake of COVID-19, State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs) have postponed listing and hearing of the petitions. Renewable Power Developers have emphasized on the need for timely filing and disposal of petitions in SERC and have submitted that any delay in relief from the SERCs will adversely affect the financial viability of their projects.

The developers have cited the precedence of Hon’ble Supreme Court, High Courts, and Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL) starting the online listing and hearing of urgent matters and have requested this Ministry to issue advisory to all State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs) to allow filing and listing of petitions online and hear urgent matters through video conferencing.

MNRE stated, “To provide support to the renewable sector in regularizing the matters at State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs) and safeguard the ongoing investment in the country, Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) hereby requests all the State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs) to kindly consider allowing filing and listing of petitions online and hear urgent matters through video conferencing.”

This issue was passed with the approval of the Secretary of MNRE.

Recently, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), the nodal Ministry of the Government of India has drafted guidelines and model PPA for Implementation of Off-Grid Solar Power Plants in the RESCO model under MNRE Programme – for comments of stakeholders. Under the Phase III of Off-grid and Decentralized Solar PV Applications Programme of MNRE, off-grid solar power plants of individual size up to 25 kWp can be installed in areas where grid power has not reached or is not reliable. Such plants are mainly aimed at providing electricity to Government schools, hostels, panchayats, police stations, and other public service institutions. Recently the Scheme has been extended up to 31.3.2021 and applicable only for North-eastern States for installation of off-grid solar PV plants through RESCO mode with Central financial assistance (CFA) of 90% of the benchmark cost of the system.

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) discusses enhancing cooperation with Singapore

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20th May 2020

In a video conference, HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) discussed enhancing cooperation and exchanging best international practices and expertise, especially in clean energy, with HE Kamal R Vaswani, Ambassador of the Republic of Singapore to the UAE, and HE Low Pit Chen, Consul General of Singapore in Dubai and the Northern Emirates.

At the beginning of the meeting, Al Tayer welcomed Vaswani, wishing him success in his diplomatic mission in the UAE, and thanked him for this initiative to communicate during the current exceptional circumstances.

Al Tayer noted that DEWA has undertaken a set of precautionary measures to ensure the health and safety of its staff and customers. This is in line with Dubai Government’s efforts to provide the highest level of protection against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). DEWA has ensured the continuity of its delivery of electricity and water, according to the highest standards of availability, reliability, and efficiency. DEWA’s state-of-the-art digital infrastructure and the training programmes staff went through over the last few years to use technological tools and channels, has enabled it to implement working remotely system for 100% of employees whose jobs do not require their presence at DEWA’s power and water plants. Over 6,000 DEWA staff are currently working remotely.

Al Tayer talked about the precautionary measures that DEWA implements to combat the Coronavirus pandemic in order to protect the health and safety of society members including employees and customers.

“Thanks to the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, DEWA has become more robust and agile. Under the current exceptional conditions the world is witnessing, our top priority is to ensure the continuity of the electricity and water supply in Dubai. We will continue our smart investments while fully monitoring all developments during this period,” said Al Tayer.

Al Tayer highlighted DEWA’s pioneering and innovative initiatives and projects that achieve the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The vision of His Highness is the roadmap for DEWA’s ambitious initiatives and developmental projects to promote sustainability and society happiness. This also achieve the aspirations of citizens and residents in Dubai, in light of DEWA’s vision to become a globally leading sustainable innovative corporation.

Al Tayer noted that DEWA has an installed capacity of 11,700MW of electricity and 470 MIG of desalinated water per day. DEWA works to achieve the goals of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 to provide 75% of Dubai’s total power output from clean energy sources by 2050. To achieve this, DEWA has several green programmes and initiatives, including the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, which is the largest single-site strategic renewable energy project in the world, based on the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model. The solar park will have a production capacity of 5,000MW by 2030.

Al Tayer noted that DEWA has attracted investments totaling around AED 40 billion through the IPP model, which strengthens public-private partnerships. Through this model, DEWA received the lowest global solar energy prices for five consecutive times, making Dubai a global benchmark for solar energy prices.

HE Kamal R Vaswani expressed his interest in cooperating with DEWA in its pioneering projects in clean and renewable energy and water. The Singaporean ambassador commended the bilateral relations between the UAE and Singapore as well as DEWA’s relentless efforts to achieve the sustainable development of Dubai. He emphasised the importance of exchanging best international experiences, expertise, and practices, noting that it’s important to increase the role of the private sector in renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.

Growatt to present new range of residential, commercial and industrial solutions to boost photovoltaic industry in Latin America

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20th May 2020

The photovoltaic industry market in Mexico and Latin America has seen a reduction in recent months due to the coronavirus pandemic; the distributed generation market has not stopped entirely despite showing a reduction and the number of installations is expected to grow in June. To seize the opportunity of installation rebound, Growatt looks to increase its presence in these markets by presenting a new range of residential, commercial and industrial solutions.

New solutions for Latin America

For residential inverters, Growatt presents 2 new lines, the MIC series that ranges from 750W to 3kW and the MIN series from 2.5kW to 6kW. Both focuses on having a great influence since the residential market is expected to be the first to recover. For commercial projects Growatt has designed the 15-36kW MAC XL series specifically for markets such as Mexico and Colombia, which use voltages of 220V and 208V in commercial installations. For larger projects, the company has designed the MAC LV / MV series with a power between 50kW and 70kW for installations at three-phase 480V. For markets such as Brazil, Argentina and Chile they launch the MAX series with 60-80kW power for C&I projects.

Furthermore, Growatt completes its range of solutions with off-grid and hybrid inverters; in such a way, it seeks to promote distributed generation with a wide range of solutions in which more users may be interested.

Facing the challenges of social distancing

Growatt also presents various monitoring solutions that allow flexibility for any project.

Given the situation of social distancing required by governments, Growatt intends to promote the sales of its monitoring solutions, since, thanks to its advanced monitoring platform, it is possible to remotely have control of the parameters of the inverters and precise monitoring of the system. This will help maintain social distancing measures, since the need for site visits to solve possible problems is reduced by up to 60%.

Confidence in the Latin American market

Although the coronavirus pandemic has impacted the solar industry, Growatt maintains its confidence in the Latin American market and is determined to promote the development of solar energy and contribute to the transition to clean energy in this region.

Power Ministry Nominates NLDC and ERLDC of POSOCO As Main Control Centers Amid Cyclone Amphan

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20th May 2020

Union Ministry of Power, Govt of India has recently stated that it has put in place adequate arrangements/preparedness to handle power supply situations in the wake of forecast that Super Cyclonic Storm AMPHAN is expected to make landfall and is likely to affect West Bengal and Odisha. The Ministry of Power, Govt of India has been monitoring the situation and coordinating with all stakeholders i.e. State Governments and their Power Utilities, Generators and Transmission Companies, Grid Operators, and the manufacturers for supply of materials, etc.

The National Load Despatch Center (NLDC) and Eastern Regional Load Despatch center (ERLDC) of POSOCO have been nominated as the main control centers. The nodal officers at senior levels from the departments of Energy/Power in Odisha and West Bengal have been nominated to respond to any emergencies. Our public sector companies i.e NTPC, PGCIL, and POSOCO have made all necessary preparations to deal with the situation and help the State Power Utilities in the efficient restoration of the damages, if any, due to the cyclone. 24×7 Control Rooms have been set up at Bhubaneswar and Kolkata by PGCIL and NTPC. Also, PGCIL has set up a 24×7 Control Room at PGCIL Hqrs/Manesar.

According to the notice, The National Grid Operator- POSOCO is keeping close watch over the situation and is tracking the cyclone path. Preliminary Advisory was issued on 17.05.2020 by NLDC to all RLDCs. Advisories have also been issued on 18.05.2020 by NLDC to RLDCs and all related Transmission Licensees and by ERLDC to State Load Despatch centers (SLDC) of West Bengal and Odisha.

Emergency Restoration Systems (ERS) (32 at 400 kV and 24 at 765 kV) along with adequate manpower have already been placed at key locations which will be used in case any transmission tower collapses and transmission lines disrupted. Transportation has also been tied up for placement of ERS at the damaged site as may be required. Necessary spare parts of transmission equipment, DG sets, transformer oil, emergency lights, and other required material have also been mobilized.

Manpower along with vehicles for restoration activities have also been arranged and some more expert gangs of skilled workers are being arranged. Manufacturers of various items like poles, transformers cables, etc have also been alerted for providing the material on an urgent basis as per requirement.

It has been stated in the order that “For damages, if any, to State Transmission Lines and other power infrastructure, all necessary support shall be extended to State Power Utilities.”

LONGi supplied breakthrough monocrystalline modules to the floating panda PV power station in China’s Anhui Province

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Press Desk

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20th May 2020

In Xinji Town, Fengtai County, Huainan City, Anhui Province, a special photovoltaic power station has attracted much attention since day one. Integrating the charming image of giant panda in the design, the floating power station is another innovative project of Panda Green Energy Group after its Datong project, the world’s first ground “Panda” power station, and also marks LONGi’s another supply of module products to a “Panda” power station after the Datong project.

The project has total installed capacity of 100MW, with the overall floating system solution and floating body provided by Sungrow. There are three types of floating bodies: main floating body, secondary floating body and aisle floating body. This project adopts customized black aisle floating body to display the image of panda.

Li Xu, a sales representative of LONGi Solar, recalled: “In 2017, LONGi supplied efficient monocrystalline modules to two arrays of the project. In order to actively support the project construction, through multi-party cooperation, LONGi’s modules arrived at the project site ahead of other suppliers. As a result, the two arrays were the first to start grid-connected power generation.”

The project realized full-capacity grid-connected power generation in November 2018, and is expected to generate more than 3 billion kw/h clean electricity for the local area in its 25-year life cycle.

The “Panda” floating power station is located in a coal mining subsidence area of Huainan, which in the past was not a vast lake area as it is today. In plain areas like Huainan, the groundwater is shallow. After the ground collapsed due to coal mining, the groundwater was exposed, forming water areas. Under the water, there are disappeared villages including Bali Village, Beifanmiao Village, Zhangtong Village, Tongying Village and Huangwan Village. These subsidence areas have brought irreversible changes to the lives of local people.

From the deserted “coal mining subsidence area” to the floating “photovoltaic power station”, the construction of the floating power station in the deserted coal mining subsidence area without occupying land resources will explore a new way for the comprehensive treatment, development and utilization of water areas in the coal mining subsidence areas in Huainan and Huaibei of Anhui Province. The construction of floating power stations can reduce water evaporation, inhibit algae growth, and help local aquaculture and fishery; the construction, operation and maintenance of power stations also provide a lot of job opportunities for local people who “have no land to till”.

In recent years, China has seen a sharp increase in the number of floating power station projects, and even become the most important floating power station market in the world, mainly driven by a large number of coal mining subsidence area projects. Soon, nearly 1/2 of the water areas will be covered by floating photovoltaic power stations, which will not only form new energy bases, but more importantly, invigorate deserted land and achieve resources renewal and real economic benefits. The construction of floating photovoltaic power stations in coal mining subsidence areas can not only regenerate “waste water” into a brand-new power station carrier, but also maximize the self-cleaning capability of floating photovoltaic power stations, and purify the water quality by covering the water surface to reduce evaporation and inhibit the growth of microorganisms in the water.

In addition, floating photovoltaic power stations can also make full use of the water cooling function to solve the cooling problem encountered by ground photovoltaic power stations. Data from several research institutions show that compared with ordinary ground photovoltaic power stations, the energy gain of floating power stations is as high as 5% to 10%, and there will be terawatt-level growth potential in the future.

Up to now, LONGi has supplied high-quality efficient photovoltaic modules for many floating projects. The Hi-MO4 modules launched by LONGi last year are well compatible with the mainstream floating products on the market. The design of bifacial glass modules will better ensure the reliable weather resistance of the floating projects, while the design of high-power modules with frames can significantly reduce installation costs and bring lower BOS and operation & maintenance costs. The PERC technology and gallium-doped patent technology further ensure the stable operation and high power generation revenue of the projects. LONGi will continue to provide customers with better solutions with higher-quality products in the future.

Renewable sector to ‘Bounce Back’ as drivers for investment remain strong : predicts EY

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20th May 2020

Despite the global slowdown caused by COVID-19, the renewable energy sector is expected to bounce back quickly as the long-term drivers for investment remain strong, according to the 55th EY Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index (RECAI). The latest index considers the potential impact of the pandemic, looking at the resiliency of countries in both health and economic terms.

The accompanying report highlights how climate change and other environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues are being increasingly recognized as key determinants of a company’s future value creation potential. Institutional investors are demanding that businesses not only deliver financial performance, but also show how they make a positive contribution to society. As a result, companies are having to re-evaluate their corporate strategies to curb their emissions, enhance their governance, and improve their climate-related disclosures. This has resulted in institutional investors increasing the capital they are allocating to renewable energy infrastructure as a means to hedge their climate exposure, according to our analysis.

Ben Warren, EY Global Power & Utilities Corporate Finance Leader and RECAI Chief Editor, says “There was much discussion around ESG earlier this year and this, along with climate change, is still the dominant long-term driver for renewable investment, despite COVID-19. As a result of the pandemic, pollution levels have fallen dramatically through reduced fossil fuel consumption. A greater focus on a sustainable long-term energy future therefore works in favor of clean energy, in particular wind and solar, together with storage.”

For the first time since 2016, the US has secured the top position in the index. This is largely because of a short-term extension to the Production Tax Credit and long-term growth in offshore wind, with plans to invest US$57b to install up to 30GW by 2030. China’s growth in renewables has slowed, as the government looks to wean the market off subsidies towards a more competitive landscape. This, coupled with reduced demand as a result of COVID-19, has caused China to drop to second in the index, but forecasts remain optimistic for long-term growth. France has moved up from fourth position to third, securing strong power prices and awards of 1.4GW for wind and solar developers in its latest auction, as it gradually weans its grid off nuclear power.

The UK, ranked sixth, made a milestone proposal to re-include onshore wind and solar projects in the next contracts-for-difference auction, encouraging greater and more diverse renewable energy development. Spain improved by four positions to rank eleventh, despite being hit hard by COVID-19, as climate and energy policy remains a high priority for the new coalition government. It has set out aggressive but achievable plans to increase wind and solar, and most investors remain positive about Spain’s medium-term prospects.

The report examines how large-scale energy storage is critical to decarbonize electricity systems, as well as the conditions needed to encourage investment in utility-scale battery storage. As electricity grids decarbonize, vast amounts of energy storage will be needed, and utilities and developers are slowly ramping up investments in large-scale batteries. According to the report, 12.6GWh of battery storage is planned to be installed this year, making 2020 a record year for energy storage growth. And in the longer-term, a 13-fold increase in capacity growth, from around 17GWh currently to 230GWh by 2025, is anticipated.

“This is a defining and transformative moment for the energy industry, despite the current crisis. Stakeholders are looking to collaborate and invest in companies where climate change and sustainable development is embedded in their strategy. Energy leaders should take action to invest in renewables and related sustainable long-term projects, including energy efficiency, smart power networks and low-carbon transport infrastructure”, said Benoit Laclau, EY Global Energy Leader.

Peck Company Holdings expands its solar project portfolio for up to 50 MWs capacity

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20th May 2020

The Peck Company Holdings, Inc., a leading commercial solar engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) company, is pleased to announce that it has expanded its pipeline of solar project portfolios in Maine for up to 50 MWs capacity from a leading solar development company focused on community-scale, commercial & industrial-scale and small utility-scale solar PV systems.

The Peck Company Holdings Chief Executive Officer, Jeffrey Peck, commented that, during the COVID-19 pandemic, they continued to work in the field to the maximum extent authorized and were poised to support the economic recovery in the northeast/New England area with the development of clean energy across the region. They are extremely pleased and excited to have been chosen to work with one of the northeast’s top solar developers. Maine’s solar market have been advancing steadily under Governor Mills’ leadership and would be poised to be a driver of their economic recovery coming out of the pandemic, as a number of renewable energy bills have recently been passed by its state legislature. Mr. Peck continued by stating that, the company is systematically expanding their pipeline in key markets like Maine in preparation for their recently announced growth initiatives with Green Bond Advisors.

According to SEIA’s Solar Market Insights Report, Maine is projected to develop 873 MW of solar over the next 5 years, which will result in Maine moving from one of the lesser developed solar markets in the country to one of the more advanced over the next several years.

Global AIoT Technology Leader Envision Digital Expands into Germany

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Press Desk

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20th May 2020

Global AIoT technology leader, Envision Digital International Pte Ltd, today announces the launch of its German entity as part of its global expansion strategy.

Part of the Envision Group, Envision Digital owns EnOS™ – the world-class AIoT operating system which currently connects and manages over 63 million smart devices and 120GW of energy assets globally.

Envision Digital’s business in Germany will be led by Mr. Drazen Nikolic, who has been appointed as the Managing Director. Drazen joins from global management consulting firm, AlixPartners, where he was Managing Director. He brings 30 years’ of experience in technology-enabled business transformation, and has held leadership positions at global consulting firms and technology hardware companies.

Drazen notably served clients such as European leading car manufacturers and key technology suppliers to the automotive industry.

Headquartered in Singapore, Envision Digital has been playing an increasing role in smart city transformational initiatives globally. With the increasing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in Germany, Envision Digital Germany will notably focus on home and office-based charging solutions as well as software and services supporting energy transition, decarbonisation for corporations and municipalities.

Envision Digital brings together Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things (into AIoT) to enable machine to machine, no human touch, real-time optimisation of key assets in the energy, building, manufacturing and city spaces. This includes solutions for solar or wind electricity generation; smart battery charging and load balancing; heating ventilation and air conditioning; field fault detection; preventive maintenance and asset optimisation; security and safety; and alerting.

Envision Digital Germany will be the twelveth global office of Envision Digital and its fifth in Europe after France, the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom.

Drazen Nikolic, Managing Director, Envision Digital Germany said: “Germany marked its first ever quarter with more than 50 per cent of energy use generated from renewable sources this year. As a company helping businesses and governments to accelerate their energy transition, Envision Digital’s expansion into Germany is a timely move. We look forward to exploring partnerships with leading organisations in the market to help Germany achieve its green energy targets and sustainability goals.”

Sylvie Ouziel, International President, Envision Digital International, said: “With 318 000 electric passenger cars sold between 2009 and 2019 and close to 53 000 sold in the first quarter of 2020 in spite of the coronavirus situation, Germany is a clear European champion of decarbonisation. In the current economic context, it is more urgent than ever to stay focused on the sustainability challenge and take holistic actions today to reconcile growth and green, performance and environment. We are excited that Drazen is joining us to drive the acceleration agenda.”

Global Green Energy Growth Set to Slow for First Time in 20 years, says IEA

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20th May 2020

After a dip this year, new renewable capacity additions are expected to rebound in 2021, but policy certainty is critical to ensure investor confidence. The world is set to build fewer wind turbines, solar plants and other installations that produce renewable electricity this year because of the impact of the Covid-19 crisis, marking the first annual decline in new additions in 20 years, according to the International Energy Agency. But their growth is expected to resume next year as most of the delayed projects come online and assuming a continuation of supportive government policies.

Renewable power sources have so far showed impressive resilience despite the disruptions and changes caused by the coronavirus pandemic, with their share of the electricity mix increasing in many markets. But the world is set to add 167 GW gigawatts (GW) of renewable power capacity this year, 13% less than in 2019, according to the IEA’s Renewable Market Update report, which was released today.

The decline reflects possible delays in construction activity due to supply chain disruptions, lockdown measures and social distancing guidelines, as well as emerging financing challenges. But despite the slowdown in new additions, overall global renewable power capacity still grows by 6% in 2020, surpassing the total power capacity of North America and Europe combined.

Next year, renewable power additions are forecast to rebound to the level reached in 2019, with significant support coming from the partial commissioning of two mega hydropower projects in China. But despite the rebound, growth for 2020 and 2021 combined is expected to be 10% lower than the IEA had previously forecast before the coronavirus outbreak. Almost all mature markets are affected by downward revisions, except the United States where investors are rushing to finish projects before tax credits expire. After exceptional growth last year, Europe’s new additions are set to fall by one-third in 2020, their largest annual decline since 1996. A partial recovery is expected next year.

“The resilience of renewable electricity to the impacts of the Covid-19 crisis is good news but cannot be taken for granted,” said Dr Fatih Birol, the IEA Executive Director. “Countries are continuing to build new wind turbines and solar plants, but at a much slower pace. Even before the Covid-19 pandemic struck, the world needed to significantly accelerate the deployment of renewables to have a chance of meeting its energy and climate goals. Amid today’s extraordinary health and economic challenges, governments must not lose sight of the essential task of stepping up clean energy transitions to enable us to emerge from the crisis on a secure and sustainable path.”

Solar PV accounts for more than half of the forecast expansion in renewable power in 2020 and 2021, but its additions decline from 110 GW in 2019 to over 90 GW in 2020. Large-scale solar PV projects are expected to rebound in 2021, but overall installations are unlikely to surpass 2019 levels. This is because of a significantly slower recovery of distributed solar PV as households and small businesses review investment plans. Commissioning delays caused by the Covid-19 crisis have slowed the pace of onshore wind installations this year, but they should be mostly compensated for in 2021, as the majority of projects in the pipeline are already financed and under construction. However, uncertainty remains over projects that had planned to secure their financing this year and become operational next year. The impact of the crisis on offshore wind deployment is set to remain limited in 2020 and 2021, since offshore projects have longer construction periods than onshore ones.

At the start of this year, renewables were already facing challenges in several markets in terms of financing, policy uncertainty and grid integration. Covid-19 is now intensifying those concerns. However, governments have the opportunity to reverse this trend by making investment in renewables a key part of stimulus packages designed to reinvigorate their economies. The priority should be on sectors that offer early opportunities to create jobs and economic activity while developing more efficient and resilient energy systems and reducing emissions. That includes a focus on buildings and transport, which would support both renewables and energy efficiency at a same time.

“The spectacular growth and cost reductions of renewables over the past two decades have been a big success story for global energy markets, driven by innovation in both technology and policies. But continuing cost declines will not be enough to protect renewables from a range of uncertainties that are being exacerbated by Covid-19,” said Dr Birol. “This underlines the critical importance of getting stimulus packages and policy strategies right in order to ensure investor confidence in the months and years ahead.”

The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on renewables extends well beyond the electricity sector. Successful transitions to clean energy will require decarbonising the rest of the economy as well, including transport fuels and the heating of buildings.

The Covid-19 crisis has radically changed the global context for biofuels, which are a key element in the shift to more sustainable transport. The sharp fall in demand for gasoline and diesel also hurts biofuel consumption driven by policies requiring suppliers to blend a set amount of biofuels with fossil transport fuels. Production of biofuels for transport is now expected to contract by 13% in 2020. If a rebound in transport fuel demand occurs in 2021, biofuel production could return to 2019 levels, but this would still be lower than the IEA’s pre-pandemic forecast.

The consumption of renewables for heating is also set to decline in 2020. The recent plunge in oil and gas prices is hurting the cost-competitiveness of renewable fuels and technologies that provide heating. Many planned investments to switch from fossil-fuel heating to renewable or electric alternatives are likely to be postponed or cancelled unless governments introduce stronger policy support.

Tata Power Announces Fourth Quarter Results

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20th May 2020

Tata Power, Indian electric utility company announced its results for the quarter ended 31^st March 2020.(FY2019-20)

PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS:

CONSOLIDATED

For the Quarter ended March 31^st, 2020:

Tata Power’s consolidated Revenue stood at ₹6,881 crore as compared to ₹7,597 crore in the corresponding quarter last year mainly due to delay in project execution in solar EPC business on account COVID19, lower power demand and lower coal price.

EBITDA for the quarter was up 6% at ₹2,013 crore as compared to ₹1,901 crore in Q4FY19 mainly due lower losses in Mundra on account of lower FOB price of coal. PAT was up 177% at ₹475 crore as against ₹172 crore due to gain on sale of Cennergi investmentoffset byimpairment provision in SED & reversal of MAT Credit due to transition to new tax regime in the renewables business.

The Company’s PAT before Exceptional Items for the quarter was ₹366 crore as against ₹323 crore.

For the Financial Year ended March 31^st 2020:

Tata Power Group’s FY20 Revenue stood at ₹28,948 crore as compared to ₹29,984 crore last year mainly due to lower power demand, delay in project execution in solar EPC business on account of COVID 19 and lower coal prices.

PAT stood at ₹1,231 crore as against ₹1,274 crore in previous year.

Renewable business crossed 2,637 MW capacity mark. During the year, the Company also added 318 MW.

Balance sheet strengthening efforts continue. Despite over ₹2,226 crore capex during the year, Net Debt reduced by ₹1,300 crore with further improvement expected from sale of non-core assets and other initiatives. Debt Equity level is down to 2.0 and is expected to go down further

STANDALONE

For the Financial Year ended March 31^st 2020:

Revenue stood at ₹7,075 crore as compared to ₹8,109 crore last year

PAT for FY20 stood at ₹148 crore as compared of ₹1,769 crore to FY19

EBITDA for FY20 stood at ₹2,853 crore as against ₹3,312 crore in the previous year

For the Quarter ended March 31, 2020:

Standalone Revenue stood at ₹1,653 crore as against ₹2,134 crore. EBITDA stood at ₹587 crore as against ₹712 crore. Loss stood at ₹310 crore as compared to Profit of ₹69 crore in Q4 FY19

Commenting on the Company’s performance, Mr. Praveer Sinha, CEO & MD, Tata Power said, “All our businesses and operations have performed exceptionally well. Our robust performance is supported by excellent performance of renewable business & capacity addition.

India is in a war-like situation in its fight against COVID-19. Taking stock of the situation, we mobilised our business continuity plan to provide uninterrupted power supply to ensure that citizens continue to comfortably work from home while medical staff, law enforcement agencies and other essential services continue to serve the nation.

Globally, India is following one of the most stringent lockdowns with all economic activities coming to a halt for nearly two months now. We are witnessing a drop in demand by almost 30% compared to 2019 in our distribution businesses. Though this impacts our topline, almost all Tata Power’s assets are under either regulated businesses or through fixed price long term contracts on take or pay basis. Thus in our business the return profile covers our fixed costs and provides us assured returns.”

The Government of India has already announced a liquidity package to Discoms through PFC and REC and the generating companies will be the biggest beneficiary of this liquidity package, as it is expected to clear the old overdues of GENCOs by DISCOMs This will improve the liquidity conditions for Gencos, which have been impacted by the huge receivables.

Another welcome move by the Government was to clarify the must-run status of renewable energy projects and payments to renewable energy generators to be made on regular basis by the discoms.

The Company’s divestment plans remain on track with a closure of the Cennergi transaction earlier in April with `842 crore realised from this sale including hedging gain. The company is in advanced discussions to execute sale agreement for another overseas asset. In addition, they is good progress on closing the sale of Defense business in this quarter. The divestment in Zambia hydro project is also expected to be completed by December. The company is confident of meeting their divestment target this year. The restructuring of Renewable businesses including setting up the vehicle for their growth is well on track to closure.

SolRiver closed on $30 million of construction financing with AVANA Capital

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19th May 2020