Energetica India Magazine December 2020

Solar Power Tariff Dips to Rs 1.99/unit in GUVNL Auction PM Unveils Key Projects including World’s Largest Hybrid Renewable Energy Park in Gujarat The solar power tariff has once again dropped to an all-time low level. This time it dropped to Rs 1.99 per unit in an auction of projects of 500 MW capacity by Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd (GUVNL). “Now the solar power tariff has dropped to a new low of Rs 1.99 per unit in an auction for 500MW projects by GUVNL last week,” a source told, quoted PTI. State-run power giant NTPC (200MW), Torrent Power (100MW), Saudi Arabian firm Al Jomaih Energy and Water Co. (80MW) and Aditya Birla Renewable (120) have emerged as the lowest bidders by quoting Rs 1.99 per unit tariff under the auction, the source added. Earlier, state-owned Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) had discovered a new record low tariff of Rs 2/kWh in its tender auction for setting up of 1070 MW grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) power projects in Rajasthan (Tranche-III). Under this tariff-based competitive bidding, the two companies namely Saudi Arabia-based Aljomaih Energy and Water Co., and Singapore-based Sembcorp’s Green Infra Wind Energy Ltd had quoted a lowest tariff of Rs 2/ kWh for capacity of 200 MW and 400 MW respectively. While, state-owned NTPC had won 470 MW of capacity out of 600 MW of applied capacity at the rate of Rs 2.01/kWh tariff. The bid submission for SECI’s 1070 MW solar power projects tender for Rajasthan was closed on November 23, 2020, in which total fourteen companies had applied for 4,350 MW of capacity and oversubscribed by 3,280 MW. The previous lowest tariff discovered by SECI stood at Rs 2.36/kWh, which was 15.3 per cent higher from the new record tariff. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has unveiled various developmental projects in Gujarat including world’s largest hybrid renewable energy (RE) park, a desalination plant, and a fully automated milk processing and packing plant. Through video conference, PM Modi has laid the foundation stone of hybrid renewable energy project with 30 GW of capacity, through wind and solar energy generation linked with storage. This renewable energy park will be situated in Kutch near the India-Pakistan border and will spread in around 73,000 hectares of area. Further, this hybrid project will be setup with an investment of approx Rs 1,50,000 crore and is expected to generate lot of job opportunities in the region. The electricity produced will not only be utilized in the state of Gujarat but also be fed into the national grid. Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said one has to keep up with the changing times and embrace global best practices. He said, today, Kutch has taken a big leap in both new age technology and new age economy. Foundation stone laid for the Renewable Energy Park in Kharera, Desalination plant in Mandvi and the New Automatic plant at Sarhad Dehri in Anjar are going to create new milestones in the development journey of Kutch. PM recalled the moment in time when the people of Gujarat had a ‘simple’ demand - to get electricity during dinner time. He said things have changed so much in Gujarat. Today’s youth in Gujarat are not even aware of the earlier days of inconvenience, he said. He said Gujarat was a pioneer to work on strengthening solar energy capacities. The Prime Minister remarked that Energy security and water security are vital in the 21st century. 13 energetica INDIA- December_2020 NEWS PROJECTS/TENDERS