Projects and Tenders

Proposal for 41.5 GW Hybrid Renewable Park in Kutch Approved

The Gujarat cabinet on September 9, 2020, cleared the long-pending proposal of the 41,500 MW or 41.5 GW renewable energy (solar and wind) park in Kutch district by approving a proposal of the revenue department to allot 60,000 hectares of land in the district for the mega project.

Combined with the 7.5GW Leh-Kargil project which is also going through the approval process, that’s almost 50 GW of super sized solar projects that will probably keep the solar pipeline going well beyond 2022. The hybrid energy park project is one of the select projects of national importance that the PM reviews at his monthly PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation) system. Over the past two years, the PMO has sent several reminders to the state government to expedite land allotment for the project. The Gujarat project is off course far more easy to execute on paper, owing to much more easier access to land, to transmission infrastructure, and importantly, a high demand centre in the industrialised state. Although initial reactions indicate serious misgivings over part of the land earmarked , as that might be breeding grounds for the great Indian Bustard too.

The hybrid renewable energy park is projected to attract investment of around Rs 1.35 lakh crore. The PM had given a deadline of 2022 for the completion of the project.

A high-powered committee of officials had earlier approved the land allocation

plans for five major companies and forwarded the draft allocation plan to the state cabinet for approval. Firms getting land allocation include SECI (Solar Energy Corporation of India), NTPC, GIPCL, GSEC, Adani Power and Suzlon, which are expected to get land for their 23000 MW, 5000 MW, 2500 MW, 3500 MW, 3500 MW and 4000 MW solar and wind power generation projects respectively.

SECI Tenders for 100 MW Solar Plus 50 MW Storage in Chhattisgarh

The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has issued a tender for the commissioning of a 100 MW (ac) solar project (200 MWdc) along with a 50MW/ 150 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh.

SECI had applied for financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the project for innovation in solar power and hybrid technologies and intends to apply part of the proceeds toward payments under the contracts that will be signed under this tender.

The scope of work for the selected bidders will include the design, engineering, supply, construction, erection, testing and commissioning of the 100 MW (ac) solar PV project along with 50MW/150 MWh BESS at Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh. The developers will also be required to provide comprehensive operations and maintenance services for the plant for a period of 10 years from the date of successful commissioning.

The last date for bid submission is October 27, 2020, and the technical bids will be opened on the same date. A pre-bid meeting has been scheduled for September 29, 2020, to address the concerns raised by the prospective bidders. All bidders must submit an Earnest Money Deposit of Rs 7 crore along with their bids.

To be eligible for participating in the bidding process, the bidder should have experience in the renewable energy segment through contracts in the role of contractor, subcontractor, or management contractor for the last three years. And should have successful experience in engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) of ground-mounted solar power projects of a cumulative capacity of at least 50 MW or at least two projects having an individual capacity of 10 MW in the last five years.

New Jersey Opens Solicitations for 2.4 GW

Offshore Wind Capacity

New Jersey Opens Solicitations for 2.4 GW Offshore Wind Capacity

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) in the US has voted unanimously to open the application window for the State’s second solicitation of offshore wind capacity. This second solicitation seeks to award between 1,200 MW and 2,400 MW (2.4 GW) of offshore wind energy, potentially tripling the State’s committed capacity from 1,100 MW to 3,500 MW. This represents a significant milestone toward achieving Governor Phil Murphy’s goal of 7,500 MW of offshore wind energy in New Jersey by 2035, which will power 3.2 million homes with renewable energy. The Board also approved the final New Jersey Offshore Wind Strategic Plan. “Developing New Jersey’s offshore wind industry will bring thousands of good-paying jobs and millions of dollars in

economic development to our state to aid our economic recovery from COVID-19,” said Governor Murphy. “This second solicitation not only reinforces our commitment to fighting climate change and achieving 100 percent clean energy by 2050, but it secures New Jersey’s foothold as a national leader in the growing U.S. offshore wind industry.”

In addition to the solicitation, the Board approved the final New Jersey Offshore Wind Strategic Plan, the State’s comprehensive roadmap for achieving 7,500 MW of offshore wind energy by 2035. The plan was developed by Ramboll U.S. Corporation through an extensive public stakeholder process. It presents recommendations on establishing an offshore wind industry that achieves net economic benefits and gives New Jersey residents the best overall value, while also protecting the environment and commercial and recreational fishing interests, and mitigating the impacts of climate change.

The application window opens on September 10, 2020 and closes on December 10, 2020. The Board anticipates awarding the resulting offshore wind projects in June 2021.

Sterling and Wilson Solar Bags `462 Crore Solar Project in Chile

Sterling and Wilson Solar has announced that it has signed an order of 106.71 MW solar project worth USD 62.6 million (~Rs 462 crores) in Chile. The order has been received from a global independent power producer (IPP), work for which is expected to begin in Q4 FY 2021.

The firm, one of the leading solar EPC and O&M players in the world, already has a strong presence in the region with one project of 93.3 MW in Argentina and three projects of 588 MW under construction in Chile.

Bikesh Ogra – Director and Global CEO, Sterling and Wilson Solar Limited with a global race to said, “we are excited to energy transition enables win our fifth project in increasing participation Latin America. Our of foreign companies in continuous focus in the the Chilean renewable market has reaped rich energy market making it benefits with these one of the key focus prestigious project wins. regions for us.” We have established The firm has been ourselves in Latin executing projects America with a globally and has to its cumulative order book of credit more than 10.5 GW around USD 488 million of solar power projects (~INR 3,558 crores), (commissioned and making us amongst the under various stages of leading players in the construction) in various region.” geographies. This

On the Chilean market, portfolio includes a 1,177 he added that “Chile is MW Solar PV plant in one of Latin America’s Abu Dhabi – the world’s fastest-growing largest single-site solar economies in recent plant. The Company also decades thanks to its manages a portfolio of 7.8 solid macroeconomic GW of O&M projects framework. This coupled globally.

REIL Issues 2 Tenders for Supply of 6 Lakh Solar Cells

The Rajasthan Electronics and Instruments Limited (REIL) has floated two tenders, seeking bids from eligible vendors/ suppliers for procuring 6 lakh multi-crystalline solar cells of ratings ranging between 4.5 W and 4.7 W.

The first tender has been issued under the domestic content requirement (DCR) category for the supply of 3 lakh solar cells with wattages of 4.5W, 4.6W, and 4.67W (1 lakh each). While, the second tender – also for the same type of solar cells in the same quantity – has been issued under universal bidding. However, the second tender will also see preference being given to domestic manufacturers of solar cells, and companies from bordering countries will be eligible to submit proposals.

The tender states that the 4.5W solar cells should be 4-5 busbars in length and should be 156 x 156 mm +- 1 mm or 156.75 x 156.75 +- 1 mm in dimension. The 4.6 W and 4.67 W solar cells must be five busbars in length and 200 m in thickness with a permitted deviation of nearly 20 m.

The last date for bid submission on both tenders is September 24, 2020, and the techno-commercial bids will be opened on the next date i.e. September 25, 2020. All bidders will be required to submit an Earnest Money Deposit of Rs 3.75 lakh along with their bids. However, Micro and Small enterprise (MSE) vendors will be exempted from paying the EMD amount.

Furthermore, particular preference will be given to MSEs participating in the tender, with 25 percent of the tendered quantity reserved for MSE suppliers. Out of the 25 percent reset ed for MSEs, 20 percent will be earmarked for procurement from MSEs owned by SC/ST entrepreneurs.