SECI to float 500-mw Solar Thermal tender by FY’25-end
The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) plans to issue a tender for 500 megawatts (MW) of solar thermal capacity by the end of the fiscal year 2024-25, according to Chairman and Managing Director R P Gupta. Speaking at the India Energy Storage Week 2024, organized by the India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA), Gupta highlighted that this will be the largest tender of its kind in India.
Gupta noted that previous solar thermal tenders in India were smaller in scale and had higher costs. The upcoming 500-MW tender will feature advanced technology capable of generating steam through heat, which will be used to run turbines. Gupta also mentioned that the costs for these projects will be competitive with other Round the Clock (RTC) energy solutions.
The IESW 2024 event focused on advancing India’s adoption of energy storage, e-mobility, green hydrogen, and other clean technologies in line with the country’s net-zero goal. Industry leaders from battery manufacturing, battery energy storage systems (BESS), and electric vehicle (EV) sectors discussed India’s roadmap for advanced battery manufacturing, addressing opportunities and challenges.
Rahul Walawalkar, President & MD of CES India and President of IESA, emphasized the importance of safety as India scales up its gigawatt-hour (GWh) capacity. Akash Kaushik, Founder of GoodEnough Energy, highlighted the need for innovative technical solutions and grid optimization strategies to meet the growing demand for clean, reliable, and affordable power.
Anil Kumar, COO of Nash Energy, stressed the necessity of developing talent across various areas, from processes to equipment and skills. Avishek Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO of VFlowTech, advocated for incentives for new technologies beyond traditional lithium-ion batteries and called for a review of regulatory challenges, such as differences in GST rates that affect battery costs.
The IESW 2024 showcased emerging and futuristic energy storage solutions, including solid-state batteries, lithium-sulfur, and sodium-ion technologies from around the world.
