The government will soon auction 20 GW of solar power generation capacity with a mandatory domestic manufacturing clause, said RK Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power and Renewable Energy.

Singh was speaking to reporters at the signing of Power Sale Agreements (PSA) for purchase of wind power under second wind auction with States with Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI).

An official statement said that the PSAs were signed with utilities of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam, Punjab, Goa and Odisha. The reverse auction for SECI-II wind bid was conducted in October 2017, which resulted in a tariff of ₹2.64 to ₹2.65 per unit.

Singh said that there is a demand for solar equipment manufacturing in the country that government wants develop.

“Local manufacturers have said that they would want the government to create a market for solar energy equipment in the country. We expect to achieve this through the tender,” he said.

The government will issue an expression of interest in a few days to seek suggestions for domestic sourcing obligation in the 20-GW solar tender, he added.

Singh also said that the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is exploring RE capacity addition through Floating Solar Power Plants over dams, Offshore Wind Energy Systems and Hybrid Solar-Wind power systems, which may provide over 10 GW additional capacity.

India is planning to develop 175 GW of renewable energy generation capacity by 2022.

An official statement said that for achieving 100 GW solar power target by 2022, the Ministry, along with the States, would lay out bids for ground mounted solar parks for 20 GW in 2017-18, out of which 3.6 GW have already been bid out, 3 GW will be bid out in December 2017, 3 GW will be bid out in January 2018, 5 GW in February 2018 and 6 GW in March 2018.

Another 30 GW will be bid out in 2018-19 and 30 GW in 2019-20, the statement added.

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