Maharashtra has recently been very active in introducing new schemes for solar PV plants. The state recently tendered 1GW capacity of solar projects to be developed under the Mukhyamantri Saur Krushi Vahini Yojana.
“Solar Purchase Obligation (SPO)”; policy’s main driver of demand, has been confronted with a lot of criticism. Various consumer associations had approached relevant forums against such a binding mandate which required solar energy consumption to be 6% (from Jan 2014) out of total energy consumption. According to an article in The Hindu (dated July 7th 2013), Tamil Nadu Electricity Consumers Association (TECA) went to ApTel in June 2013, saying that consumers will not have the required solar energy capacity. According to submissions in the present order by the appellants, TN requires an installed solar capacity 720 MW in the year 2013 and 1500 MW in 2014, to make solar power available for compliance with SPO and RPO targets.
TANGEDCO as a respondent in the order has said that solar RPO of 0.05 % ceased from being into effect from the time SPO was introduced by the state commission.
TANGEDCO, last year, had floated tenders which has currently around 700 MW of solar projects awaiting execution of power purchase agreements. The solar power price discovered through, competitive bidding mechanism,was Rs. 6.48 per unit. Following this recent ApTel order, TANGEDCO is in a fix whether to scrap solar power purchase obligation or to buy power from solar projects and subsequently move TNERC to raise tariffs, to accommodate additional cost of buying costlier solar power.
A copy of this order can be found here.
Media Articles are available in the following links-
The Hindu? – (dated 6th Nov 2012)
Our relevant blogpost can be read here.
Link to Tamil Nadu’s Solar Policy 2012
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Since the calculation of Solar RECs floor price, due to the NSM’s bidding process, the ‘project viability’ cost can be considered to have moved to Rs 11.18 (the tariff given by NVVN Ltd. under NSM). Given this development, it can be expected that Solar REC floor price will be revised downward in the coming years. Assuming modest growth in APPC, our analysis suggests that Solar REC floor price will be between Rs 8 – 10/ kwh.
The impact of such a downward revision may be limited, as for the foreseeable future, demand for solar energy for RPO purposes will be far greater than supply, thus keeping Solar REC prices above the floor price.
Solar Case Study :
Profit=Profit before Tax
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