In FY 2021-22, import of solar PV cells and modules was valued at around $4.5 billion. This has fallen to $2.5 billion in FY 2024-25 until December 2024. Thus, various policy measures taken by the government have resulted in reduction of imports of solar PV cells and modules; the exemption from customs duty on the specified goods for manufacturing solar cells and modules could further help reduce imports, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy told Parliament recently.
The installed solar PV module and cell manufacturing capacity in the country, as on March 27, was 74 GW and 25 GW, respectively. Cells are used in the manufacture of modules.
Between first and second
China is big. Just look at the vast distance between the first and second rank holders in wind power installations in 2024!
While India remained in the top five, Brazil edged past Spain to enter the ‘top five’ club. In all, 117 GW of wind capacity was installed in 2024.
The Global Wind Energy Council expects annual wind installations to rise all the way to 194 GW in 2030.
According to GWEC, 2024 was a record year for offshore auctions, with 56.3 GW of offshore wind capacity being awarded globally. Europe led the way, with 23.2 GW awarded , followed by China with 17.4 GW.
Jharkhand sets an example
Jharkhand has announced it would offer a feed-in tariff (FiT) for small solar plants (less than 10 MW). FiT is a fixed tariff approved by a State’s electricity regulatory commission, as opposed to tariffs decided through bidding.
Small plant developers get edged out as they cannot compete with the biggies on tariffs; hence there is practically no market for small project developers. FiT for small plants has been a long-standing demand.
Jharkhand expects about 1,000 MW of solar capacity in about five years, Mukesh Prasad, electrical executive engineer, Jharkhand Urja Sancharan Nigam, told journalists attending a recent workshop organised in Ranchi by Earth Journalism Network.